A PLAY AREA

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 152, 30 June 1922, Page 4

A PLAY AREA

IN RIDDIPORDSTREET

COUNCIL GRANTS ASSISTANCE.

A few weeks ago a deputation from representatives of the Hospital BoaTd and the Boys' Institute waited on the Finance Committee" of the City Council asking that lavatory accommodation be provided on a portion of the Hospital Board's property at Riddifoid-street, proposed to be set aside as a playing area .lor children. The Boys' Institute is prepared to expend £1000 in providing and erecting suitable apparatus for a play area, and the Hospital Board has under consideration the leasing of the site to the institute, and the clearing, levelling, and asphalting of the property in order ,that it may be used as a play station. The City Engineer estimates that an amount of £600 will be required to comply with the request, and the committee recommended that to the City Council last night subject to the Hospital trustees granting a satisfactory tenure to the Corporation, and provided that a permanent access from the Btreet is granted, that conveniences be erected in accordance with the plans to be prepared by the City Engineer.

Councillor T. Forsyth did not object to the proposal, but he did object to the construction of the Pirie-streefr reserve being persistently delayed. In fairness to the large number of children on Mount Victoria he considered that the Pirie-; street reserve should be put in hand. The Mayor said that the £600 would come out of the loan proposals for public conveniences. The RiddifoTd-street undertaking would not affect the Piriestreet reserve, or any othei reserve project. No money was being provided by the council for the Eevans-stTeet play

I Councillor C. H. Chajpman said the ! Hospital Board and the Boys' Institute were to be congratulated on what they had done, and the City Council was getting out of the matter very lightly by only having to provide £600. After a brief discussion, the recommendation of the committee was adopted. The Reserves Committee reported that it had visited the children's play area at the Basin Reserve, and recommendedthat in order to provide a greater playing space for children, and also more accommodation for spectators, the present children's, playground be filled in to.within 66 feet of the present picket ■fence. This would provide a level area of 38 yards by 80 yards and would be sloped off in a manner similar to the bank on the northern side of the present ipavilion. It is proposed to commence, with the filling immediately.'

Councillor P. Fraser, Mi P., said that while he was "thankful for small ".•mercies,"'he trusted that the Reserves Committee would come down with a more ambitious scheme for a children's play area in the future.

The chairman of the Reserves Committee, Councillor W. J. Thompson. stated thflt a greater olavine space would foe provided for the children on the Basin Reserve, and the question of installing apparatus would be gone into 'later on.

This.recommendation was adopted,