THE RIGI RESERVE

Evening Post, Issue 86, 11 April 1936, Page 4

THE RIGI RESERVE

TENNIS OR PLAY AREA.?

A HISTORICAL SKETCH

The position regarding the Rigl Reserve, which is apparently , wanted both by tennis players and as a play area for children, is given in a statement by the chairman of the reserves committee (Councillor J. Burns).;

This piece of ground, said Councillor Burns, is part of a purchase of the old Karori Borough Council out of a tramway loan. It measures about half an acre, and is divided by a right-of-way owned by the Roman Catholic Church. Part of the hill is covered with native trees, and recently a gully has been filled and partly planted. It was looked after by the Reserves Department until 1923, when it was resumed by the Tramways' Department. When an application was made for its use by tennis players, it was treated as tramway land, but the right-of-way did not leave sufficient land for courts. In 1931 the Civic League complained of the appearance of the spot, and suggested it should be used as a reserve, but the manager of the tramways, Mr. M. Cable, replied that as it might be needed for tramway purposes it could not be used as a reserve.

In 1921 twenty-one householders petitioned that it be converted into a playarea for children. , This the council approved of, and the. petitioners were advised that the property was to be handed over temporarily to the Reserves Department, which has since controlled it, planting part of it, levelling some, draining it, and keeping it clean. It has been used by the children of the district.' An application was made early this year by the secretary of the Talavera Tennis Club to Councillor Burns, and a deputation .to the reserves committee was arranged. The club's secretary, however, saw Mr. Cable, and the tramway committee recommmended a ten-years lease at £15 a year. The club offered £10 a year for a ten years lease with the right of renewal.

"The tramway department,"' continued Councillor Burns, "has evidently decided that the land will not be required for tramway purposes, and the City Solicitor had reported in connection with it that land taken or appropriated for any specific public work and not required for the purpose for which it was taken may be used for the purpose of any other public work. I recommend:—(l) That the reserves committee apply for this land to the council under this clause. As the tramway department is a trading department, an adjustment as to the value of the land' may be necessary. This can be arranged.either by putting a value on the land occupied by tramways' waiting sheds ,on reserves, or through an adjustment of the rental of £400 per year paid by the tramways for the area of Town Belt occupied by the tramway department at Newtown. (2) The Rigi to be kept as part of the reserves proper of the city. It forms at present part of the beautiflcation scheme, leading from Anderson Park, Tinakori Road; to Karori Tunnel. This Rigi is the only piece of level land ori the tram route from the Gardens to Karori Park, and should be not built on or leased to an outside body, working on the principle, which is a sound-one, that-all the.,ayailable reserves should be kept for, the benefit of all the people for all time."