From Gravel Pit to Glaciarium

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 279, 25 November 1936, Page 4

From Gravel Pit to Glaciarium

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Congratulations on your enterprising spirit in taking up tho suggestion to convert the Terrace End gravel pit from an eye-sore into an attractive lake. Palmerston North is well equipped with grounds for all varieties of land recreation but lacks the one for boating, which would render it complete, and as befits tho largest inland city. To my mind the yawning pit is just calling out to be trimmed up into a thing of beauty and one can visualise how it would look after, say, 100 men had been at work on it, cutting the banks back to form a shelving beach; the whole lloor conereted and several artesian bores put down for water. Several short jetties could be built out with davits for the deet of pleasure boats and gondolas which would soon be launched by our enterprising youths. Tho beaches would be planted with suitable trees, garden seats at intervals and electric lights being hi the brauches; a bridge or two spanning the water with bandstand and tea houses.

Refrigerating pipes to be laid on the door and in winter tho water to be lowered to, say, one foot and the pit becomes a glaciarium, where skating and ice hockey would attract thousands from all around the district. Water chutes and water jousts couldbe added and other water sports. But most attractive of all would be to see gaily painted pleasure boats giving tho rowers a form of healthy recreation which is not available nearer than Foxton at present. If the artesian flow failed to materialise tho distance to the river is not too great to run a pipe line and we then have a connection with the river right into the city as a supplementary reservoir. However, how we are going to fill it and empty it is the engineer’s job. The work would give employment to a large number of men and the cement trade would benefit. Hamilton has its lake, as your leader mentions, but we can go ono better with out “glaciarium.” Now You Terrace Eir 1 '”" get busy!I am, etc., W. E. BENDALL.