Holiday Opening Of School Playgrounds

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30739, 1 May 1965, Page 7

Holiday Opening Of School Playgrounds

Opening school playgrounds during the school holidays for the supervised recreation of children, tried in Dunedin last year and planned in Auckland this month, will probably be extended to Christchurch. The youth activities officer of the Internal Affiairs Department (Mr L. J. Coughlan) said that he would shortly begin discussions with physical education officers of the Education Department and other organisations which might be interested. It was too late to arrange anything in May but a Christchurch trial might be made in August. School playgrounds will be thrown open in the May holi-

days for supervised games and sport in Auckland. Children aged seven and over will be invited to attend and the skilled services of selected teachers will be available as supervisors. The programme planned includes free play with equipment provided, major sports coaching, cycle rodeos, gymnastics, games tournaments, pet shows, construction corners, police dog team demonstrations and an all-day rally at the Auckland Y.M.C.A. A fine response has been obtained from the major sports bodies, school committees and parents, and Auckland Lions Clubs have expressed interest in sponsoring some of the playgrounds.