"CITY BEAUTIFUL"

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 91, 17 April 1923, Page 7

"CITY BEAUTIFUL"

AIM OF RESERVES COMMITTEE

TWO YEARS 1 WORK

A review of the development of the city reserves during the past two years ■was made to-day by Councillor W. J. Thompson, chairman of the Reserves Committee. The amalgamation of Karori, Miramar, and Onslow added, considerably to the city reserves, Councillor Thompson pointed out. All these boroughs had considerable areas, which constituted valuable assets to the city and the reserves there, which were capable of great improvement, would be brought more into general use as the population o! the outlying districts increased and the need for further playing- spaces became more acute.

"With these areas to develop, and a number of new properties purchased, the past two yeavs have been the most important in the history of the reserves department," said. Councillor Thompson. "A glance over the following list will at once make that clear. Thirty acres of the Trelessick Estate, Kaiw'arra Gorge, have been purchased for scenic pux'poses, thus saving that beautiful bush-clad val-' ley from destruction for all time, as it was_ already being- cut up for building sections; in fact, two of the purchasers had started building. The City Council moved none too soon. In Onslow, there has also been purchased eleven acres of land for the formation of a central sports ground for the district. A small playing area, about three-quartere of an acrein extent, near the Ngaio Railway Station, has been also levelled, fenced, and sown down. The. Reserves Committee has also applied for several acres of the Homebush Estate, which ha* recently been roaded, to be set aside as a reserve. In Wadestown, which is perhaps the worst off of all the suburbs for playing spaces, a recreation ground has been mads possible by a gift of land from the Hon. C. H. Izavd. A start has been made here by laying the necessary atorm-wat-er drain through the gully. It is hopod to complete this work during the coming winter. Northland Park has been completed, and is now made full use of by the young- people of the district. Other works which have been completed are Prince of Wales Park, at a cost of £3000: Nairn Street Reserve, costing £1300, and sis new asphalt tennis courts, Day's Bay, costing £1700. A number of new croquet courts have also been formed. Land for a seaside park has also been purchased at Island Bay, and the City Council is at present- negotiating with the owners for further land there before going- in for formation work. Other works which have been started are a ground.at Pirie street, a small park at Tan era crescent, Brooklyn, and extensions of the present playing area at Anderson -Park and Lyall Bay Recreation Ground. The Golf Links at Berhampore have also been extended into an .sighteen-hole course. It is hoped to build a pavilion here this year, the present building being much too small. The figures for the past twelve months show that the .expenditure has been £950, and the revenue from grazing and golf fees £929. At' present three golf clubs use the course, besides the many hundreds of -players who play an occasional game and belong to no local club. Many visitors to Wellington are among the patrons of the links. "The Lyall Bay Recreation Ground has, owing to the big increase of cricket, been taken in hand, and is being- rapidly formed into a first-class playing ground. During- the past summer, as many, as ten cricket matches were-be>ing played 1 there' at once/"'" Catering for the sports bodies in the way of preparing wickets, extending the football areas, laying down croquet courts, etc., has been a big tax on the resources of the Reserves Committee owing the great revival of sport, since the war years. During the past summer, fifty cricket wickets alone have been prepared per week at wbgt is only a nominal fee for adults, while as many more have been prepared for boys, free of charge. The cricket bodies in Christchurch and Dunedin have to prepare their own wickets, and are charged so much per season for the use of the ground. The Reserves Department here has ho hesitation in, stating that it does more for sport than any other city in New Zealand, and its work in this direction is only limited by its finances, as the enthusiasm 'of the members knows no .bounds.

"Besides the work of acquiring and i improving new grounds, the committee ': lias been faced with the ever-present ; work of keeping the older grounds up Ito date. Recently, water has been laid on to Lyall Bay and Kilbirnie Becreation Grounds, Karori, and Northland Parks. The conveniences on all the grounds have been extended and dressing sheds repainted and repaired. That the. present dressing-sheds on many of the grounds are altogether too small has long been realised, but as only a limited amount is available for such work, this inconvenience has to be put up with a little longer. Wakefield and Kelburn Parks are both sufferers in this direction | among others. , I "The Town Belt lias received a good ' deal of attention, and . the gorse nuisance is not nearly so acute as in the past. The plantations are being extended, and it is intended, to plant from Constable street to Mount Victoria daring 1 the coming winer, if the estimates are j not reduced. Last year the forestry and ' Town Belt estimates were reduced by half. Alexandra road, when this work is completed, should form the most beaui tiful hill drive in Wellington, giving an unrivalled view of the city, harbour, and ocean. Although forestry has not been extended, owing to the cut in the estimates, upwards of 30,000 trees have been planted out during the last two years, and all are making remarkably good growth." Among the contemplated improvement* during the coming year in the other reserves, added Councillor Thompson, was the erection of a large grandstand in the Basin Reserve. The plans of a small stand to the south of the ground had already beeii approved of, and the work should be put. in hand immediately. When these works were, completed this reserve should be the best reserve for "gate" purposes in New Zealand. The improvement of the reserve in Kent ter- : race had been held over until such time as the road and tramway works wern I completed. Now that these were on the way the improvements to the reserve j should be gone on with. The committee I had in view a fine avenue of trees leadi ing from Courtenay place to the Basin i Reserve, with a wide centre walk for Eedestriaiis. Well lighted, this should c a beautiful promenade, both during I the day and evening.

In conclusion, Councillor Thompson said that the parks, reserves, and open spaces of the city were never in better order than at present. "The members of the Beserves Committee have given of their best and with the £17,000 at their disposal, have- worked vvonderfe," ha remarked. "A trip around the reserves will be an education to the average citizen, and the extent of the improvements possible in all directions, is unlimited. 'Wellington City Beautiful, 1 is the motto of the committee. Miich has been done, but it is realised that the work is only in its infancy. The foundation has been laid, and it-is for the citizen to sea that there is ho slackening of this, the moat important work of a young city."