PARKS AND RESERVES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18149, 12 August 1924, Page 11

PARKS AND RESERVES.

WORE IN PROGRESS. Details. of. the work now in. progress relating to the. parks < and " reserves were, presented to the City* Council last night by the Reserves Committee ai follows: — " Spreydon ' Park:— I The ■ planting ;-cf till/ park i 3 not yet- completed, bat ithe r weather permits the work should be finished within a week or so. . Ouawa JPark.—A line of trees ha£ been planted along ; the boundary fences leaving, some ornamental trees yet to bo planted. Beckenham Park.—Nothing lias been done in this park since the last meetintr of the committee,' but it is hoped to make a stkrt planting and fencing at an early date. ' ; ' *, Woolston' Park—A portion of this park •ha 3 been ploughed, and cultivated, and other general work has Ti'aa attention. Some ornamental planting will be put in hand shortly. It is the intention of the committed to inspect this'park at an early date. _ anwood Park and Nursery.—The land has been prepared for lining^ out nursfery stock, while preparations have also been v made for fencing the planting of a lirve. hedge, while the g^ n ~ eral maintenance work in the park has had the usual attention. St. Albans Park—The stones have been gathered from the new area which is now .ready, for the roller when the weather permits. All general woik is well forward. . • . . . ■ .Elmwood Park—The portion ,of this par.js. set aside for. a children's playground has been cultivated, and generally prepared and a line' of pyrus trees has Seen planted along :the western boundary. ; The work of erecting _a fence on the Beaton street frontage is now in progress. - City Reserves. —Attention has been given to the trees on the.river banks and avenues, such as cutting' out- and removing the condemned willows. Planting oriental planes on Moorhouso avenue and cutting back the trees on .Bealey. avenue has been carried out during the p&st month. Victoria, T, ~-V.—Tho rabbits haive been destroyed as far as and the planting is almost completed. It is intended during the present month to. give attention to the pruning of all the young oaks. Bottle Lake. —The, planting of the new area is well in hand, and should be finished next week. A commencement has been made thinning out the first block which was planted. It .has been intimated .that, the Forestry League would appreciate an invitation to inspect these- reserves and the committer recommends that an t invitation for such inspection! be extended.' The. trees that died in tho' block planted last year. are being replaced and the work will bo coxnpteted .this The committee alSo recommends that tho low-lying land in the-70 aero block be planted with eucalyptus . rostrata, and the high ground planfed; with conifers. There are sufficient. tr6es in stock to do this work. ; Conveniences in' Opawa and Beckenham Parks.—The conveniences in both these parks aro well .under . way ; and should b© completed in' the course of a .few. days. ' : : '. ' Old 'Pap'anui Library i; Sit©.—The Papanui Library, Committee has written stating that the title deeds of the ';6ldlibrary 1 site "have been lo'Bt,' and further that the trustees have all died, leaving no successors, and tne..library committee desires ; the,. Council to . obtain power to sell the property and diivert the proceeds towards tho purchase of books for the library or,; alternately obtain power for-the' library committee to. sell. Tho committeo recommends' that steps he taken' to obtain a'title to tho'land as a preliminary,. ... :: : ■ Memorial (rates^-Public.Hall,Marsh-land.—The Marshland Patriotic-Society lias written stating that; the Society intend erecting' memorial gates in front of th© Public Hall, and is . appealing 'to the land-owners of the district for the purpose.' As tho Council owns a area known as.the Bottle Lake Bun, tU6 Society asks it for a donation towards the< fund, and the' committee recommends that a donation of £5. be made.. ; . x ,

.• St. Park.—The committee has considpred.the desirability of purchasing Hinder the option ajrinted- by Miss Tillman, all the back land of he? property which adjoins the. .park. The area, is slichtly over half- an acre and the price- asked is at the rate of £250 twr 1 acre, in addition to that the Council- has. t,o erep t a 6ft.. dividing f"nce' on the nevv boundary and also allow tho sum of: £2ofor-improvements in the land so taken over. The total expenditure will am6unt to - approximately £IBO, and ypur committee re-

commends that tlie land be purchased. I Or.' E. it. Andrews, in reply to the j Mayor, said that certain old willow j tiees. had been ripmored, from tho river J banks; but now willows were to be . Along _ Cambridge terrace, however, it was intended to continue , the line of poplars. I The Mayor : Poplars on tho north j sid-o and.'wiliows on the south? - ! (jr. Andrews: No, poplars on both sides! * . The Mayor: You will uproot' the young willows on the south side? ,Cr. .Andrews: No, the willows will remain. Or. A. McKllar said hat an avenue ,of poplars would be a beautiful sight. Gr. F.* 11. Cooke asked how much or the 70 acres at Bottle Lalce was to bo planted with eucalyptus. • C?r. Andrews said all the low-lying portion of the area was to be planted with eucalyptus. Or. Cooke: Up to the present eucalyptus has beer a failure at Bottle Lake. Regarding the old Papanui library site, the Mayor said the better plan would be to get a clause through in the Washing-Up Bill, j The report wa,s adopted and the rej :ommendations approved. i■ • •: - ... ■