RONGOTAI AIRPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1941, Page 5

RONGOTAI AIRPORT

ANOTHER EXTENSION

ACROSS KINGSFORD SMITH

STREET

PART OF MAJOR PLAN

' Formal approval has been given , by the Government and the way is clear now for the further exten- .' sion of Rongotai Airport, wards across Kingsford Smith Street almost to the frontage, of the .' former Exhibition buildings. This extension will add about 21 acres, and will bring the area of the field up to 106 acres. Though the date of commencement of the major extension of Rongotai, through to : Evans Bay, may be some years in the future, it will some day have to -come. The addition how to be made will work in a part of that major scheme. Tne original area of Rongotai Aerodrome as developed by the City Council was 66 acrels, Kingsford Smith Street'was later moved westwards and 14J acres were so added to the flying fleld> lengthening: the -east-west runway, but this did not meet the more important need of the northsouth runway, into the prevailing winds. Urgent representations were made by the pilots of commercial planes two years ago that the margin in north-south operation was so low that undue strain was imposed upon them, and work was undertaken along the eastern boundary of the field,, where a small area of land was taken over from the Miramar Golf Club and some reclamation was made, above high-water level only, to extend the toe of the field towards Moa Point. The area so gained was only 4£ acres, but the north-south margin was improved. The cost of this addition was stated at about £18,000. It was stated at the time that it could not give a permanent solution,* but was a practical expedient. " THE EXHIBITION AREA. : It was fully accepted that after the Exhibition the' grounds would be used for aerodrome purposes; then the war descended and the buildings \ were needed for other purposes/but there was still a wide space between Kingsford Smith' Street and the building frontage.' .: Kirigsford Smith Street has been closed for some months and there is a free way for planes, to be taxied across. The British pavilion was removed soon after the Exhibition closed, but the Australian pavilion and the Exhibition administration and some lesser buildings have remained. These will now go, and the,reflecting pools, roughly filled in,: will be made solid grbund. •In to this part of the Exhibition grounds the City Council has taken' over, about 1£ acres of land from a private owner to even the bbundary along the northern side of tbjfe/extension. The total cost will be about £15,000. .