GROUND IMPROVEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20720, 13 November 1930, Page 13

GROUND IMPROVEMENTS.

PROPOSALS AT PAPATOETOE

Should the proposals of the Papatoetoe Town Board and the local sports bodies be put into operation and fructify the sports grounds on the Papatoctoe reserves promise to be among the finest in the Auckland district, and this does not exclude in comparison the city spoits areas. Even at the present these grounds are exceptionally good, the area of 15 acres alongside tho Great South Road being a spacious and splendid site, at.ed beside the playing area, on which in summer there are three full-sizec cricket pitches and in winter three football grounds and one hockey field, there are six tennis courts and the bowling green which accommodates 17 links. A the west end of the town there is an area of five acres w which stands a handsome band rotunda. This park is to be opened on November 22 as a children's playground. The natural arena at the lower end has caught I lie fancy of the Papatoetoo Amateur Cycling Club, and at the lown Board meeting this week tho club suggested that the formation of a banked cycling track be included in the geneial improvements being formulated. This scheme, which aims at the levelling and setting out of tbe larger reserve according to modern planning, is of economic interest and importance as it. will become an unemployment relief work on a fairly large scale. A committee, representative of all Pports bodies and tbe boards- reserves committee, is collaborating to raise voluntary funds. These the board has promised to subsidise £ for £ and the total amount would be entitled to Government subsidy on a £2 for £1 basis. At the board meeting this week the Otahuhu Returned Soldiers' Club advised it would donate £lO to the funds on rendition that returned men were employed on the work. Mr. E. V. Blake, the board's adviser on town planning. *lso intimated that be desired the board !o hand to the grounds improvements fund as a donation from him tbe £SO 3ue to him as the balance of professional fcfs. The board expressed its appreciation of these generous contributions.