RECREATION AREAS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 August 1946, Page 3

RECREATION AREAS

FUTURE PROVISION IN GREYMOUTH BOROUGH RECLAMATION Works partly completed and envisaged by the Greymouth Borough Council — they are largely connected with the disposal of rubbish—will provide greatly increased playing areas in the future.

During its inspection of the borough yesterday afternoon, the council viewed a number of the proposed playing areas. One of the chief of these is the land lying behind the municipal baths, between Sawyer’s creek and the railway line, and covering an area of approximately two acres.

For some time the council has been depositing rubbish in the hollows left by old creek channels and already a considerable area on the western side of the baths has been levelled. It is considered that’the new ground so formed would be ideal for an athletic sports area. It has been suggested in the past that a channel shduld be cut for Sawyer’s creek to give it a direct run-out from behind the swimming baths to the lagoon, but in view of present developments and future possibilities, the borough engineer (Mr. A. J. Fairmaid) does not favour this proposal. His suggestion is that the creek should be cut through on the waste land south of the main sewer pipe line, which would serve the double purpose of protecting the pipe line and avoiding flooding of the proposed sports area.

Football Grounds.

Two new football fields are also proposed on the area of land known as Morice’s paddocks, lying between the south end of the Cowper street terrace and the aerodrome. Gorse has already been cleared by the council to enable a survey to be made and it has been found that there is sufficient ground for two full-sized football fields, lying end to end, with a common dead-ball line. Little levelling is required on the ground. It is inclined to be wet in places, but it is considered that this will be overcome by grading. A large area in Blaketown, adjacent to the Blaketown Hall, has also been reclaimed by the depositing of rubbish, and apart from the land already taken over for a bowling green and a children’s playground by the citizens of that suburb, there will be a considerable level area available shortly. Children’s playgrounds have also received some attention. Buxton Park, an area of an acre on Preston Road, has recently been levelled by bulldozer, and it is hoped to have it top-dressed at a comparatively early date. Until then, its stony surface makes it unattractive, but it is potentially an excellent playground. It is already equipped with a roundabout, and swings and a slide are contemplated. Cobden Playground. In Cobden, a large section on the south side of Bright street, between Richmond and Clifford streets, was recently acquired, and a bulldozer will shortly be engaged on the levelling of the area for a playground. The area is traversed by Range creek but this should not prove a disadVctntcige. Another area in view for a children’s playground is a section on the east side of Sawyer’s creek, in Bridge street, just across the footbridge from Marsden road. Preliminary surveys, have been carried out. I Improved drainage for the Recreation Ground is not being lost sight of in work at present being carried out. The hedge on the High street boundary has been removed and the pipes for the enclosing of the drain on the same side are already on the ground. In the laying of these pipes, “T” joints are to be placed every half-chain, to allow the connection of sub-soil drains under the playing areas, when the opportunity offers.