HARPER AVENUE PLAN Small portion of park may be used

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32895, 19 April 1972, Page 18

HARPER AVENUE PLAN Small portion of park may be used

A plan to widen the Carlton Mill Road bridge and Harper Avenue from the bridge to the bend in the avenue to improve traffic flows at the junction of Park Terrace, Harper Avenue, Bealey Avenue and Carlton Mill Road, was under consideration said the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr N. G. Pickering) yesterday.

The plan would mean that Harper Avenue, at a point just west of the bridge, would be extended 10ft into North Hagley Park, taking a narrowing strip of the park land up to the bend in the avenue. The north side of the avenue would not take any land from Little Hagley Park.

“In view of the City Council’s policy on the protection of trees, adopted at the meeting on Monday evening, I feel that the public should know of the Carlton Mill bridge proposal,” Mr Pickering said. "The plan could call for the removal of two small trees in North Hagley Park; the council, of course, would replace those trees in the near vicinity and might plant a greater , number. “The proposed widening would not interfere at all i with the magnificent stand of i pine trees in the comer of i North Hagley Park near the I Carlton Mill bridge. The; Director of Reserves (Mr H. G. Gilpin) considers this one of the finest stands of pine trees in the world. No trees would be interfered with in Little Hagely Park —the area adjoining the north side of the road widening could well be beautified as it is not used for active sport,” said Mt Pickering. The wider bridge would include a footbridge, walled-off from the road portion, for pedestrian access to North Hagley Park. He said that the volume of traffic in Park Terrace had increased as those persons wanting to enter or leave the heart of the city used the one-way streets green wave system in Kilmore and Salisbury Streets.

- “The widening of the Carl- , ton Mill bridge, to give three lanes of traffic each way up ’ to the bend, instead of four as at present, will further reI lieve the traffic on Bealey Avenue. “Because of that, I think we can save all the trees on ' Bealey Avenue. Some trees, because of age and disease, will have to be removed, as Mr Gilpin informed the council some months ago. But they will be replaced. “If the National Roads Board, with the co-operation of the City Council, decides to upgrade Bealey Avenue, then, Mr Gilpin has pointed out, some root damage to trees by road works could cause the removal of some trees. But these will be replaced,’’ said Mr Pickering. |