Community Sets Out To Revamp Glengarry Bluff
(Click on image to enlarge)
While I was cutting out Letters to the Editor I came across this again. I was in one of my emotive, ranting ‘I have a dream’ moods. Discussion later in the day with some others led to simple little things that can be done and reminded me of a phone call I received supporting my views after I wrote Letter to the Editor. While the rezone ideals are part of ‘The Big Picture’ and to prevent expansion and direct growth in a more tourism and beautification direction to attract (and retain) businesses that make our main street more appealing as a destination (not a thoroughfare to Stewart Island and/or the signpost and Hill). The rezone is the regulatory side and takes time but the Spatial Plan is a 30 year living document, may as well show your hand at the early stages. It is the vision of and for the people, the RMA (District Plan legislation) does not care what the people want, it only cares about the natural environment.
What can the community do? Glengarry are doing it. They realise that the community spirit needs to return and one would hope that people with ideas feel comfortable to step forward and raise their ideas without fear of persecution. Recent media has shown that this is a problem in Bluff. It is NOT a new problem. I hark back to that phone call, the person was frustrated, the idea had been done before and he/she was confused why it wasn’t carried on. He/she told me what they had heard and I expressed what I had heard and we realised where the problem was and chatting away, bouncing ideas around came up with a simple way to prevent that happening again. As a mother of four I couldn’t commit to any more tasks but now wonder if I might approach the person and say ‘want to do it’. He/she had made the suggestion through his/her network (he/she had been knocked back hence the frustrated phone call) and I then bounced the idea around my networks and more people expressed their agreement and tweaking. Voila, an easy solution and some community buy in by those that have been told. Imagine if we had a forum for all those to come forward and do that, without persecution and with respect. I believe that’s what Glengarry are doing right, getting the buy in then moving forward. They also have the need to fundraise, we don’t, check Charities Commission and Societies.govt. We have the money in town and many groups are doubling up on things that could be a shared services arrangement.
I know of ideas people have expressed that range from green waste, hanging baskets, community centre, Club Hotel solutions, shared services, RSA grove…and probably many more as well as those raised by the frustrated people at the Bluff Hill meeting (read the notes HERE, page 19 on).
If only we had the forum? Was the Bluff Hill meeting that forum? I’ve been told many locals felt annoyed that they didn’t have communication until after the fact and they were not given opportunity to be heard at that meeting.
Even though we have a community board and promotions group do we now need a residents group also?
