Within the past 45 years Tauranga City has constructed an architecturally-designed library, additional civic administration building with new council chambers added about 10 years ago. This followed the demolition of the perfectly sound city council building in Willow St, opened in 1972 which also then contained council chambers.

The premise to demolish was appearance of some black mould. Personally, I worked in that building for more than 23 years and there were no such issues. Now the Library, a modern tremendous costly concrete edifice, less the 30 years old, is also scheduled to be reduced to rubble from March 2022 onwards.

My contention is that with constructive, clear, clever and imaginative thinking, these buildings which cost ratepayers millions could usefully be re-purposed for long-term future uses. For example, replacing flat roofs with pitched roofs directing the run-off into external downpipes, seal internal ducts/downpipes to halt moisture ingress and determine solutions as necessary, seems an obvious action. It is possible to be economically done.

Nevertheless, the Commissioners have rubber-stamped the demolition. Commissioner Shadrich Rolleston publicly espoused the new design benefits being: 'A civic whare will transform to be a place of discussion, debate, storytelling, learning, record keeping and celebrations”.

However, as full of promise it may sound, realistically we can already do those things now without wasting further millions in a consumerist world of diminishing resources.

Politically motivated demolition of sound expensive buildings is akin to legalized respectable vandalism.

Apparently the council doing this evidently seem to consist of commissioners, consultants and interested parties who set their own agendas.

J Nagels, Brookfield.

Editor's note: Since this letter did not run in The Weekend Sun, we have allowed it to be 250 words.