ONE YEAR AFTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21101, 8 February 1932, Page 11

ONE YEAR AFTER.

NAPIER'S RESTORATION.

jOWN-PLANNING SCHEMES. REMARKABLE unanimity. "..W; * No. v. town-planning provisions for Napier will excite interest everywhere. _ = ba bly the determination of the people jj 0 t to los° the opportunity of improving ihe lay-out of tho town I,as 1100,1 il ro " factor in the reconstruction, but scheme h as bcc " aehievcd, and at a Jtm arkably low cost, owing to the spirit 0 f co-operation displayed by owners, and t h fl powers given to divert other funds fr T the purpose. The town* possessed, the sum of £13.000 {u unexpended balance of loans for other purposes, and authority was given to ,pply this to the cost of town-planning. \k further sum of £IO.OOO was recpived Ifi-om an insurance company upon the tomewhat unique guarantee of life policies taken put by private individuals. In n o caso has compensation been claimed for land required for street widening exM pt at corners, where the gift of a strip would have meant the sacrifice of a certain number of feet of one frontage. Widening of Streets. The chief features of the scheme are the widening 0 f Emerson Street by 10ft. from [Marine Parade to Clive Square, tho widening by 10ft. of Tennyson Street from Marine Parade to Clive Square, the widening of Dalton Street by 24ft. to create a firebreak, tho widening of Church Lane to create a traffic by-pass to the Breakwater and so relieve the congestion in the main part of the town. Tho Albion Lane between Hastings Street and Marine Parade is to b c turned into a 60ft. roadway, and Dickens Street will be continued at tho same width. Other more minor improvements will fit in with the general scheme, and the Nayier of to-morrow will be immensely improved in "lay-out and traffic facilities. Altogether 9o chains of streets will bo widened and chains of new roadway created. A very important feature of the scheme Will create service roads through the centre of big blocks. In the block between Dickens and Emerson Streets the service roadway will have a width of 18ft. The entrance will be between the Post Office and Peach's Lane, and runping at the back of the buildings facing each way it will issue into Dalton Street. This will enable full use to be made of the deep sections, and doubtless will eventually return to the owners an enhancement of values which should compensate for the strip taken for street widening. All borough services for the buildings concerned will be laid in the service roadway. A similar service roadway, but only 12ft. in width, will be carried through the block between Emerson and Tennyson Streets. Sea-front Development. 'Another projected improvement which reveals the vision behind all these plans and faith in Napier's future is the widening of Marine Parade on the beach side. It will, of course, be years before tho resources of the town will enable tlie whole ambitious project to come to fruition, but •8 start has actually been made. Spoil from reservoir excavations on the hill is being deposited on the beach south of the baths, where prior to the earthquake a concrete retaining wall had mado a terrace in the shingle. The cost so far is nothing, because this area is as convenient. a dumping ground for the spoil as could be found. The first step will be to grass this area of about two and a-half acres with a view to turning it into gardens with play-grounds of sward, which the beach now completely lacks. There is a strong conviction that, the development cf the sea front will eventually prove to be one of Napier's greatest assets. The promoters have a vision of tho creation of a large auditorium upon this area at the end of Emerson Street, with a band rotunda and other amenities designed to give the atmosphere of an English watering place. Tn the general rebuilding of the town earthquake regulations will, of course, be rigidly enforced, and all structures will be capable of withstanding tremendous lateral stresses, but much more will be achieved. There is general agreement that there should be architectural harmony throughout the new areas of the town. Buildings, of course, will not be of a uniform type, but thero will be harmony in colouring. Buildings will bo finished in light tints which will avoid the drab greys that are so common, and judicious use will be made of colour in external decorations to brighten the Streets. No Poles or Posts. There will be no poles of any kind and no verandah posts in the reconstructed areas. Cables will be carried underground and verandahs of modern type will not require supports at the kerb edge. The effect should be very pleasing indeed. The achievement of unanimity in townplanning questions is due to the general spirit of co-operation in all matters pertaining to reconstruction that has prevailed. Much is due to the harmonious workings of the reconstruction committee and all its subsidiary committees. This body has° no legal standing. It comprises representatives of practically every institution of the town —numbers of them possessing export knowledge in their subject—and the consequence has been a. smooth co-ordination of all the civic, commercial and professional forces which arc behind the Commissioners in their arduous task. Ihe will to achieve town planning has been the main factor in its achievement. Enthusiasts have worked unceasingly on , this and all other questions to bring 'about the happy spirit of compromise Which has been so prominent. Kmall individual disagreement which is inevitable has not been allowed to intrude on the major issues and nullify high aims. Great practical difficulties, particularly financial, have been overcome, and manv are still to be overcome, but as was remarked by one business man, who has helped to give a lead in his own building programme, "You can't get lower than bottom. With earthquake and tiro we struck bottom. Many an asset was turned into a liability and the correct attitude of mind under these circumstances is to take a chance on the future with whatever credit can be got and the general result must mean that the wheel *hich has come to stop will get its first ®pin into motion; having started to move it, will gather momentum and momentum Jjjill bring the whole plant info operation. " e can't lose any more and we have Everything to win by the exercise of every possible enterprise." MARINE PARADE SCHEME. feLP FROM CEMENT COMPANIES. TELEGRAPH. —-PRESS ASSOCIATION.] H:: > NAPIER, Saturday. fMj'' SOns -^ >ol 'tl<J"d, Milburn and the widen Bay Cement Companies have each Onated 13 tons of cement for the pur■iflK • beautifying the Marine Parade, tj-- 1 ?* e . sc l leme will provide a large 'jggf for skating, dancing, a pond, and an Jeopi aif ' '^ ieatro accommodating 2500