A NEW RECREATION GROUND.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1151, 12 June 1911, Page 4

A NEW RECREATION GROUND.

The action of the Kilbirnic .residents in endeavouring to ensure that the city shall not lose the chance of securing another much-needed recreation ground at a comparatively trifling cost deserves general support. The position was fully explained in our issue of Friday last. The ground in question would be obtained by a continuation of the reclamation work at Kilbirnic which has already provided a small recreation area there of about four acres. Tho completed reclamation, .which could be carried out at a comparatively small tost, the water being shallow and the spoil available being right alongside, would give an area of about 26 acres of playing ground. Power is given to lease onefourth of this area for building purposes, which would probably return a revenue sufficient to pay interest on the cost of the work. The important and urgent point about the scheme, however, is that the Harbour Board, when it gave its permission for the work to be done, stipulated that it must be carried out within seven years. This was in 1906, and if the offer is to be taken advantage of only about two and a half years remain in which to do it. The immediate proposal put forward is to carry out a portion of the undertaking—to fill in a triangular piece of the sea beach about tho same size as the ground already formed. Thi3 would give a recreation reserve of eight acres—the balance of the work could be completed later. Kilbirnic and other residents in the vicinity have been rather shabbily treated in this matter. Some five years ago a loan of £2000 was raised, whicn it was understood was to be expended on this recreation ground by the City Council, but the money was diverted to other grounds, and Kilbirnic neglected. It would bo a mistake, however, to regard the project now in view as merely of interest to Kilbirnic residents. The ground when completed would bo available for the whole city, and would be far more valuable for the purpose than the Basin Reserve. The playing area would be about double that of the Basin Reserve, and would bo easily and cheaply accessible by tramway, which runs right past tho ground. It is in fact only a few minutes distant by tram from the Basin Reserve. Certain of tho stipulations made by the Harbour Board might be modified without any sacrifice on the Board's part, and this would reduce tho cost, of-the undertaking very materially. The Kilbirnic ratepayers who have taken the matter up should be , 'Supported by the various sports associations, and every endeavour made to sec that tho people do not lose the option which they at present possess of securing this much-needed addition to tho playing grounds of the city.