I was at the council hearings on submissions for the 10 year plan and listened to a chap talking about the libraries, and centres representing art, drama, and history as being the heart and soul of Tauranga.
For passionate people like him I guess that is how they see the world. I have heard other people talking about this heart and soul a few times now so I thought I should write and make the point that in my view, these people have it got it wrong.
It is my view that the heart and soul of a community is a reflection of the environment in which the people live and is created by the activities of people in their leisure time.
If you take a place like Queenstown for instance, their heart and soul today is probably defined by the activities associated with skiing, bungee jumping, river jets and night life in the town.
Taking this definition and applying it to Tauranga, one would conclude that because the environment is one of a sunny warm temperate climate all year round, combined with a set of waterways forming a beautiful busy harbour and adjoining coastal beaches, that the heart and soul of Tauranga today is defined by the activities that this environment encourages.
In that respect, for me, the heart and soul of Tauranga is defined by all the out-door activities in which people participate and these are represented by probably around 200 disciplines such as surfing, fishing, walking, flying, and sports such as golf, bowls, and all the different team sports.
Just go to Blake Park on a Saturday morning and you will see the heart and soul of Tauranga pumping. Netball, Soccer, Hockey, Rugby etc – probably well over 1000 people.
Go to the Mount on any weekend in summer and see the heart and soul of Tauranga pumping with surf and beach carnivals, triathlons and iron man competitions. Does this not represent heart and soul?
Art, history, and drama are still great activities, but in this the 21st century where technology allows people to participate in all sorts of fun and sporting competition etc while carrying the library on an ipad or kindle, Tauranga is embracing it as no other city of this size can do.
As a theme for the Council ten year plan, how about engaging in a theme of Tauranga the 'Playground Capital' of New Zealand or something like this.
Council fathers may need to be prepared to embrace and assist with the technology that these out-door activities require and be prepared to put some of the other nice-to-have wants back in the queue in order that the heart and soul keeps pumping.

Bill Cromwell, Welcome Bay.