THE BOULEVARD SCHEME

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22424, 10 June 1938, Page 3

THE BOULEVARD SCHEME

EFFORT TO REVIVE INTEREST

REQUEST TO CITY COUNCIL An effort is being made by Mr R. B. Owen to interest the Christchurch City Council in the completion of the boulevard along the Avon. He has written a letter which will come before the council on Monday evening, asking that a conference be called with the Waimairi and Heathcote Councils, both of which control parts of the river, to discuss the continuance of the work, which was begun about 10 years ago, but only got as far as widening parts of the road along the river on both banks in parts of Avonside and on the south bank past the Dallington bridge. Mr Owen said yesterday that he considered that something should be done about the boulevard for the centennial celebrations in 1940. He considered that a part of the scheme which should be given early consideration was the construction of a “marine parade” along the river and estuary at New Brighton, where land was already dedicated for the purpose. His suggestion was that the parade, two chains wide, should run from the New Brighton bridge to the spit opposite Sumner. Here it would be possible for cars to connect with Sumner and the Port Hills by means of a pontoon bridge. Near the end of the spit, he suggested, a road should connect with the beach, so that cars could drive on to the sand, from which they could return to the parade at Jellicoe street, outside the bathing area. Another suggestion of Mr Owen was that the section of the river, between Wainoni bend and the New Brighton bridge, which was almost completely covered in by common willows, should be considered as the possible site for a “Henley-on-Avon” . regatta. Three miles of the finest stretch of river was here going to waste. Mr Owen said that for the sake of safety the road along the river on the south bank from Fitzgerald avenue was in urgent heed of widening. This road was being used more and more, and was becoming dangerous for traffic. The position oh the north bank of the river along this section was even worse, as there was scarcely room for two cars to pass with safety. The boulevard was one of the schemes about which the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) inquired when he stated recently that he was looking for relief work on which men could be employed in Christchurch. It was begun when Mr Armstrong was chairman of the works committee of the City Council, but for many years it has been given little attention by the public. Mr Owen said that he considered that the work on all stretches of the river' should be taken over by the city, as it had more plant and equipment available than the counties. “It would provide work for a great many men, and would provide an asset for years to come,” he said.