Parks spending up?

Press, 7 May 1980, Page 6

Parks spending up?

Christchurch City Council; parks and recreation activi-) ties, excluding Queen Eliza-1 ; beth II Park, which is subsi-) dised from electricity funds,! could require 28.7 per cent more from rates money this year. That would mean ! $2,884,381 from rates, comspared with $2,179,866 bud-: igeted last financial year, i Much of the extra rates {would be needed for reserves {where spending would ini crease from SI.BM to almost $2.48M. Last year, city reserves had an income of $1,145,828 apart from rates. This year, i a separate reserves income [of $1,279,030 is estimated, {according to the parks and (recreation committee yester- . day, i Reserves spending increases would include {5235,000 for salaries, $283,000 for maintenance of grounds,: buildings and vehicles,: $182,000 for capital works,) and $129,300 for transfers toj the plant renewal account. ■ Spending of $lOO,OOO as) the first stage of $240,000 extensions to the department’s Linwood main depot is also being considered. I Forestry work at the {Bottle Lake and Chaneys ’plantations will require

.$55,000 from rates this year, ; [compared with $46,000 last : {year. That part of the counicil’s activities has never re- ! [covered financially from the {1975 storm, “and there is no < {prospect over the next 10 {years or so of much financial , {improvement on a commer-

cial basis,” according to a staff report. But the Bottle Lake Forest Park is considered important to the metropolitan area because of its' recreation potential. A detailed study of goals for Bottle Lake will' be done this year.