MORE FACILITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 7 October 1936, Page 9

MORE FACILITIES.

ISLAND PLAYGROUND. 9 ' ATTRACTIONS AT MOTUIHI. i SPORTS EQUIPMENT. Popular Motuihi Island, which calls thousands of Aucldanders during the summer months, is to be made more attractive under a scheme which the Auckland City Council has under consideration. The plan, which is a comprehensive one, includes the removal of the existing straggling array of refres ment booths and their replacement by modern buildings, giving, rest room and ambulance accommodation. Reafforesta tion, the erection of playground equipment for children, the installation of additional facilities for bathers and the layin*>- out of an area as a sports groun are also included in the scheme. Details of the scheme were mentioned this morning by the chairman o e parks committee of the Auckland y Council, Mr. E. J. Phelan. He said that for some time the council een negotiating with the Government for an area of about four acres on the Health Department's reserve on, the island so that it might develop the area for recreation purposes, as facilities for the holding of picnic sports gatherings on the island had been lacking m the past. The Minister of Health, the Hon. Jr. F laser, was quite favourable to the pro posal that the area should be vested m the council, and had promised to confer with the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, in the matter. It was expected, that the whole niattei would be finalised in the near future and it was hoped to start the work or developing the area this summer. The development plan, he involve the removal of a fumigating shed on the Health Department s property to a site approved by the Department, and the laying out of the area in such a way that-it would be suitable for sports and a children's playground. The plan also embraced the removal of

the unsightly buildings serving to-dav as refreshment booths, and their replacement with modern buildings providing rest rooms and quarters for the St. John Ambulance apparatus for children and diving boards and chutes for bathers would also be installed. When these improvements were effected it was hoped that the island would- prove more [attractive than ever, and that sports clubs would avail themselves of the facilities available for the conducting of picnic sports meetings. Mr. Phelan believed also that the council would have to undertake a reafforestation scheme on the island. Bellbirds, he said, were fairly plentiful on Motuihi at the present time, but if the council neglected the bush ther.g it followed that the birds would have to seek other localities.