THE EXHIBITION GROUNDS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12906, 11 September 1907, Page 8

THE EXHIBITION GROUNDS.

THE FUTURE OP HAGLEY PARK.

"What is the Domain Board going too do with Hagley Park when it U vacated by the Exhibition authorities ?' is iv question frequently pro pou ruled by thot?e who take an interest in tho beautifying of public reserves. Tlio Exhibition building, vast us it was, is now a thing of the past, ana in tho courso ot a few months tiieie ivi.ll be lelt scarcely a vestige of its onto proud existence. Tho paiacu 01 and gaiety, which was daily and jngiitly tiirongod by joyous and pli a.iiii#-.Heekiiig crowds, hue vanished, and in its place lice un unspeakable wildt'i noss. Tnough ouo must recognise that the lir'u ol un Exhibition is iibi'csKurily transient, it is ditlicult u> survey the ruins in ilagley I'ark witnout tooling some icgret that such a fato hue, in so brief a space, overtaken tbf building which for a tew mouths was thi> centre and souroo of so uiucn delight and enjoyment. A wearying<:xi»aii6e of crumpled stucco, bhattercu timber, and other dobris, covers uio greater portion of the site, and when the machinery hall, fernery, and art gallery nro demolished, the end iv,, oonio rapidly. Tho Exhibition authorities, after putting the grounds into some degree of order, will withdraw from possession, and tlio Domain Board will be confronted with the necessity of doing something in order to make Hagley Park an attractive •public resort. _ The question naturally arises whether' tho Park has sustained any serious or pormanont injury through the erection within its confines of the 'Exhibition and its associated buildings. It would bo exceeding difficult at this stago to give an authoritative answer—time alone win supply that—but a few comments may bo ventured. In the first place, it is _beyond question that tho portion of tno Park abutting the Avon has been immensely improved, ana that the improvements, if made permanent, will add considerably to the scenio beauty of the water tront. A fine lawn, dotted by numerous gardon plots, extends along tho river bank and for eomd distance back. The path along the river bank shaded by overhanging trees, ie an acquisition, and will certainly be greatly used as a promenade by visitors to tho Park. The work of the Horticultural Committee .in thie connection may bo described as excellent, and it would be a thousand pities if thie portion of the Park were allowed to-lose its acquired, but nevertheless picturesquo, beauty. It may be suggested that the garden plots should bo laid down in grass, as it would be a matter of some difficulty to protect them from acts of vandalism in a public park without going to considerable expense in erecting railings. Any money available for beautifying work in the way of flower beds could bo profitably expended in the Gardens proper, whero such attractions should bo concentrated. It is held by some authorities, and it is practically the rule in Australia, that parks should be fairly free from garden plota, which are relegated to and .more fittingly placed, in the reserves which are particularly, kept apart for floriculture. The value of the flower beds lav only in their association with tho Exhibition, and now that the link has been broken there is no reason wihy their existence ehould be perpetuated. Prior to the erection of the Exhibition, that portion of Hagley Park on which th© building stood could not, by any stretch of the imagination, he described as a place of surpassing beauty. Though, come filling in had 'been done, the surface was lumpy, without being gracefully undulating. A great deal of levelling was done by the contractor, who perforce had to cart in a large quantity of soil toy secure » convenient working surface. An opinion "was expressed at the time that this would introduce a permanent noxious weeda' post, but on tho other hand it was cominofl property that the ; Park* had been for many years the damping ground for road scrapings. At one time the Park oould have been described as • a shifting 'V bed-of sand, and, therefore, the soil . deposited in it at various times must have had c beneficial effect. The plnntotion of pines, situated to the northwest of the Exhibition, was planted about thirty ye*re ago, to protect the shifting sand dunes from the effects of boisterous nor , -westers. It woukTbe fair to aesume that the. Domain Board will level off tlie actual 'site ■of the Exhibition, •with « view ctf making it a parade or athMio recreation ground in the future. - It would lend itself admirably to either purpose. . • At the north-west side of the building, tho Park has rather a squalid appearance,- due to the presence of a quantity of surface water and a pre- ; xnjscuous collection of tins. It is appar'ont that if this part is to be put in order, a fairly extensive drainage scheme will have to be brought into VoWHifcion, in which tho trenches cut -for the purposes'of the Exhibition might play . a not unimportant pert. .T/he site of Wonderland has lost -ill semblance to the once popular haunt Of Exhibition patrons, the skeleton of the Qjrclorama standing almost clone ac » reminder of past frivolities; The >'■ appearance of the Park in this vicinity ' has been much improved, and when the flower beds have boon sown down in grass, there ehould be little for tho Domain Board to do for some time. .■.Victoria Lake, which'has quit shimmering in the moonlight for the preeent, will make some cell on the funds of the Domain Board, as some repairing and beautifying work on the banks is widly required if tho lake is again to become, presontable. Un the whole, it is difficult to see that tho Park 13 likely to sustain any injury from the Exhibition upheaval. On the contrary, it , would appear that some good has been ■', accomplished,,and that tho day of the improvement of tho of Hagley Pnrk has been hastened.