WARNING! This quiz about plans for Ocean Beach development — Lowetown — could be hazardous to your health, if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition.
1. True or False: The plan from developers contains a detailed argument as to why 1,000 homes on Ocean Beach is better for the environment than the status quo, which might allow up to 75 or so homes.
__ True
__ False
2. True or False: The Lowetown proposal provides a detailed Conservation Plan for how the portion of OB intended to be set aside for preservation will indeed be managed and protected.
__ True
__ False
3. The number of people who might actually live and work at Lowetown at any given time, assuming 1,000 residences, is:
__ 1000
__ 2600 (hint: Waimarama has 2.6 persons per household)
__ 5000 (interesting: proposal estimates water needs at 5 persons per HH)
4. 1,000 homes will make Lowetown bigger than …
__ Clive
__ Bayview
__ Waimarama
__ Seahaven (think: The Truman Show)
5. The estimated value of liquor sales at the Lowetown liquor store is about:
__ $60,000 per year
__ $600,000 per year
__ $6,000,000 per year
6. With 1,000 homes at Lowetown, the number of cars passing daily from OB to the Tukituki Red Bridge will be:
__ Hardly any (people will be having too much fun at the equestrian center)
__ 1068 (hint: this is the current average vehicles per day)
__ 2500
__ 4000 – 6000!
7. The cost of rebuilding the intersections between Ocean Beach and the Tukituki Red Bridge will be paid for by:
__ The developers
__ The ratepayers
__ Santa Claus
__ Let me guess: the proposal fudges on this
8. Putting 1,000 homes on Ocean Beach is the brainchild of:
__ Lawrence Yule
__ Andy Lowe
__ Sam Kelt
__ Winston Peters
9. Which “impartial” Hastings Councillor has said publicly that he or she would like to buy one of the new homes proposed for Ocean Beach?
__ Norm Speers
__ Kevin Watkins
__ Margaret Twigg
__ Cynthia Bowers
10. Buildings in Lowetown can be how high (hint: visualise 14 meters)?
__ 1 story
__ 2 stories
__ 3 stories
__ 4 stories
11. True or False: Under the proposed plan change, Kentucky Fried Chicken can open a franchise in Lowetown.
__ True
__ False
12. Pick one: If this plan change is approved, when the blinding sandstorm is over, we’ll open our eyes and find that Andy Lowe and other current landowners:
__ have sold out their interests to Auckland developers, pocketed the cash, and are long gone
__ are down on the beach every day, planting native flora, picking up trash, getting their dry-cleaning done, and protecting the dunes and culturally-important sites
13. Water for Lowetown will come from:
__ Havelock North, via infrastructure paid for by the developers
__ Havelock North, courtesy of ratepayers
__ Heaven
__ Ask in ten years
14. How many Councillors will vote to oppose the proposed plan change at the Hastings Council’s February 21 public meeting?
__ 1-3
__ 4-5
__ 6-7
__ 8 or more … a majority
15. I can show my support for preserving Ocean Beach by:
__ Attending the Council’s public meeting where they will vote.
__ Contacting a Councillor in the meantime
__ Signing and circulating the Say NO! to 1000 Houses Petition
__ All of the above!
Correct answers?
I’m sorry to say, in most cases, be guided by your worst fears.
Tom
I am very disappointed at this very act. My whanau and I have been going to ocean beach since we were kids. Its our home. every holidays we look forward to going out to the beach and spending time with our papa or cousins etc…., and I'm guessing that there are other people who agree with this as well. I don't know the intentions of the man who proposes to do this…but I only hope that he would think about how this act might affect people like us!!!! Leave Ocean beach as it is! Don't destroy something that is already beautiful and wealthy in scenery, whanau, tranquillity and FUN!!! One of the main reasons why people choose to come to ocean beach is to escape the "busy-ness" of town and they want a descent break away from the "buzz" of life. And you can find that at Ocean! We don't need to modernize Ocean(Waipuka)!!! if you want to spend your money on something great, spend it on something like fixing up the bridge or making the access road safer?? Help out the people of Ocean Beach or planting more trees etc…? Take your pick!!!