ST. CLAIR SANDHILLS.

Evening Star, Issue 18334, 23 July 1923, Page 6

ST. CLAIR SANDHILLS.

Foe many years iho Ocean Beach Domain Board has been doing its best to build up the sandhills, and has made a great sue cess, at a minimum of cost, in establishing an elevated and consolidated banner between the sea and the Flat. This result has been achieved by ihe cc.unionsense plan of coaxing Nature to play tho navvy’ - night and day and this, the greatest factor in tho operation, is continuing ’.he work of irnprovmenl. Silo by side with this, however, a few of our own citizens are pulling down the sandhills. A strange position, surely! But everyone who walks along Victoria road can see what lias taken place. The section at ihe corner of Forhury nad was a few months ago cut down to the road level, the owner selling the sand for removal, and when that bit of the sandhills was removed the City Corporation stepped in and bought the lowered sec tier; for use as a cnil•lren’s playground. That transaction stopped further denudation. But the digging oat soon recommenced a little to the eastward, and.now we soo a privately-owned section on the hills deeply cut into, hug© quantities of the sand being carted away to level up low lying properties nearby. It is understood that tho owner of this section has been formally cautioned and informed that he wilt bo held responsible for any damage that may be thus caused to the Surf Bathing Club’s property that is now left on a pinnacle, and that the digging is now arrested. It is to bo much regretted that action was not taken earlier. Some day the great hole will have to be filled up, and the public will have to pay in. some form or another. The time has come for decisive action by tiro corporation to prevent finally any further encroachment upon these sandhills. It must be disheartening to the Domnin Board.to see the hills at the St. Clair end perpetually at the mercy of private owners.