Dianne Gates

IN response to Steve Clark’s letter, Beacon letters, September 27, about the contaminated sites around the Whakatāne district, I wish to encourage all our residents to oppose the proposal to construct this unrequired and very expensive boat marina.

First, I would anticipate any boat marina to be washed away if we have any major incoming tsunami in the near future.

From previous discussion, I wonder how many actual boat owners are planning to use this boat marina; I have seen lots of negative comments about it not being adequate or required.  If there are boat owners out there who do want the marina, and if we encourage them to pay the costs involved, I wonder how many will still be keen if asked to pay the decontamination and construction costs.

Mr Clark maintains the toxic mill waste has been dumped in various sites, including the proposed marina site, over the past 39 years.

I suggest we work on the “let sleeping dogs lie” principle and leave it buried. Costs to have it dug up and removed to ‘where’  will be horrendous.

The current owners of the Whakatāne Mill are producing an excellent product, which has a solid overseas market. What would happen to their business, and the jobs of so many Whakatāne mill workers should we start digging up old dirt?

For what reason? A boating marina that has no real requirement to be built. I maintain this is not a project that is needed in Whakatāne at this time, and probably never.