Government risks new disputes if it railroads Queen's Pier plan
From reading the report ('Government accused of swaying district councils on consultation', August 4), it is apparent that the government is manipulating public opinion to serve its own ends.
The district councils should be representative of community views, but lately it has become clear to me that they there is government control through the appointment and domination of pro-government members.
The latest scandal of the Queen's Pier motions at these councils is really a reflection of this shameful reality.
However, the government must understand that public opinion cannot be manipulated forever. Not so long ago, the battle to protect the Star Ferry pier and Queen's Pier was ignited by the realisation that the government was hiding an important heritage assessment report from the public.
The government's insistence on killing off the Star Ferry pier and dismembering Queen's Pier led to a powerful public outcry.
People's trust in authority was undermined by what happened.
The government should learn from its mistakes and not create another round of disputes. It should seriously consider intelligent proposals from the public or professional bodies to rebuild the Queen's Pier in situ.
The government's own proposal to relocate the pier at the waterfront is a bad one. The old structure should not be situated between two new piers.
The historical integrity of Queen's Pier (especially in relation to City Hall and Edinburgh Place), will be best maintained if it is put back at its original location.
The best proposal so far is from the Urban Design Alliance where a lagoon is created in front of the pier.
Not only can its original use be retained, the lagoon will become an interesting feature of the new harbourfront and accommodate leisure water activities such as rowing boats and water-bikes.
This is the best option for our future waterfront, where heritage can be preserved intelligently for the enjoyment of the public.
Katty Law, Central
