EPSOM RESERVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 186, 8 August 1930, Page 8

EPSOM RESERVE.

FUTURE PLAYING AREA.

FLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT.

FOOTBALL AND OTHER GAMES.

The ' city owns a reserve in Mount Eden wliicli is at present, mainly rocks and-furze.. It is known as Epsom Reserve. The Hon. A. J. Stallworthy wrote to the, City. Council- pointing:,out that the "possibility " of: getting: a £2 for £1 subsidy'from..the-Government under the. imemployment relief offered a splendid; opportunity of .making a "job of the ■ remaining .unimproved portion of the reserve at tlie foot of the liiil, and also .of an-adjoining 12£ acres of 'domain. When completed, the whole - ' property would be; a great asset to that portion of the. city of Auckland and would ;provide : recreational facilities that would bo invaluable to the residents of 'that particular"; area.

The city engineer,. Mr. J. Tyler, reporting as to the work required for the formation ancl layout of the reserve fronting Windmill Road, said that the area was nearly. five acres in extent, but owing to the high levels on the eastern side consisting of rock, it would be very costly to level more than some 3 1-3 acres at the present time. The closing of the continuation of Windmill Road lying between the above area and the: recreation reserve already levelled, fronting Pencarrow Avenue, now used for a general play area,, would permit the closed road to be used'with part of the new area' for 'tennis ,courts or a children's playground. The proposed level of the new area was "some four feet higher than the present playing area and was sufficiently extensive to provide one full-size football ground in addition to the smaller area above mentioned. ; His estimate for the work of excavation and 1 levelling and ' providing and spreading the top soil and grassing was £3840, and the subsidy obtainable, based upon £2 for every £3 spent in labour, > would be £2025, leaving the council to find £1815.- i . "The council decided that provision for the work be,- included in. the next loan to ;be raised for/tlie relief of unemployment.: •• t1 ■ : '1 • ■. . >