“LOOK-OUT” AND GOOD MOTOR ROAD ARE SUGGESTIONS FOR KAITI HILL PARK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22618, 22 April 1948, Page 4

“LOOK-OUT” AND GOOD MOTOR ROAD ARE SUGGESTIONS FOR KAITI HILL PARK

“Look-out” on Haiti I-lill, comprising a lcvclled-oJT garden plot ■with ample seating accommodation, and including a tiled table showing the direction and distances to various parts of the world (similar to the one on Mount Eden, Auckland), is a possible outcome of activities for 1948 planned by the Gisborne Thirty Thousand Club.

Mr. A. J. Cox, who is particdlarly interested in this area and has already presented to the Titirangi Domain Board eight acres at the top of Beach road, was of the opinion that the first work to be done was the opening and developing of the road right through. That, was the foundation upon which all developments should rest. Given a good motor road through to Beach road minor development would automatically follow. Community Amenities In the course of a general discussion which took place, it was pointed out that, although Gisborne was one of the wealthiest districts In the Dominion and had amongst its residents some of the wealthiest men in the country, very little had been given to the community in the shape of amenities. It was suggested that if some of these wealthy citizens were approached, one of them might be prepared to finance the ‘‘look-out’’ project as a permanent memorial to himself. A suitable tablet could be placed in the garden plot, commemorating the generosity of the donor. However, the possibilities of all these suggestions will be thoroughly explored by the executive of the club before any decisions are made. Unfortunately, as one of those present pointed out, Haiti Hill is “nobody’s baby.” It is outside the borough boundary, and the Cook County Council has no funds to spend on a scenic • road. Whatever improvements arc . effected, their cost must be defrayed by • voluntary contributions from the general nublic.

One of the questions invariably put to visitors to Gisborne is—“ Have you : been up Haiti Hill?” 1 Believing that the time has arrived : when something should be done to ini- : prove the look-out point on the hill, ■ members of the executive of the Gis- - borne Thirty-Thousand Club recently 1 met the engineers of the Gisborne ; Borough Council and the Cook County Council on the top of the hill to explore the possibilities of improving the locality in general, and in particular the look-out point. Possibilities of Development A close inspection was made as fains the gun site, and the possibilities for development were noted and discussed witti the engineers. Due to erosion, the area on the top of the look-out point has become so small that very few people can enjoy the views at any one time. A suggestion put forward by Mr. M. J. McArtney was that this point be lowered some 10 or 15ft., and so increase the area available to observers. Other opinions favoured the building up of the sides of the present hill-top to obtain the same result, but retaining the present height. Others felt that a better observation point existed further up the hill, where there already is a sufficient area of flat land at road level. In Dr. A. L. Singer’s view this spot lends itself to development on a higher scale than the point lower down. A colonade could be constructed round the top of the hill face, which would protect sightseers in all weathers and at the same time provide ample parking space for cars.