Fitzroy Park

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 183, 5 August 1938, Page 6

Fitzroy Park

The Terrace End Progressive Association is entitled to the hearty congratulations of all the citizens of Palmerston North for the very real contribution it has made to the beautification of the city by the conversion of an eyesore into what must become one of the most attractive parks in Palmerston North. In this one achievement the Progressive Association has justified its existence, and those who looked with suspicion upon the setting up of such organisations—the main aim of which appeared to be to foster purely sectional interests—must now feel that live bodies of citizens so organised can serve a very useful purpose in the community.

What might have happened to the Terrace End gravel pit had there been no such body as the Progressive Association to “lobby” persistently for its beautification, may be seen in the rather pathetic state into which the large pit near the Levin railway station has degenerated. Some years ago the Borough Council in that progressive town had the opportunity of buying the pit for what now seems to be a ridiculously small sum of money, but the offer was turned down, much to the regret of a few of the more far-sighted citizens who saw the possibilities of the unsightly hole as a beauty spot. The owners of the pit then decided to cut it up and sell it for building allotments with the result that it will remain forever an eyesore and a shocking example of civic short-sightedness. But Fitzroy Park, thanks to the public-spiritedness of the residents of Terrace End, and the constructive imagination of the city’s curator (Mi-. P. Black), will continue to grow in beauty and usefulness. It is, indeed, a valuable addition to the city’s amenities.