RECREATION SPACES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23205, 26 November 1938, Page 20

RECREATION SPACES

DOMINION SHORTCOMINGS IMPORTANCE OF SITUATION PROVISION FOR CHILDREN 4 " [by TELEGRAPH OWN correspondent] NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday "Judged by the standards of other countries a great number of New Zealand towns are hopelessly deficient in recreational facilities," said Mr. J. W. Mawson, town planning officer in the Internal Affairs Department, when addressing the New Plymouth Town Planning Committee. The modern scientific standard was that towns should not have less than seven acres of recreational amenities for every 1000 acres of population, he said. It was not sufficient for a borough to have a largo area of park land and open spaces. Location was of importance. There were New Zealand towns that had domains much larger than the area needed, but because of their location they were of no value for recreational use by young people.

In New Zealand to-day town planning practice was to ask for an absolute, minimum of five acres to each 1000 of population for active recreation for people between the ages of five and 25 years. Those areas were considered quite apart from parks and boulevards. Playgrounds could not include areas held by such organisations as Rugby unions which, if they desired, could sell the property for building. It must be held by the State or a local authority in trust for the purpose indicated. School grounds were not included, because they were open only during school hours and terms, and at tho discretion of the education authority could be closed at any time.

Experiments had proved that not 5 per cent of young children would go more than a quarter of a mile to use a playground. The radius of efficiency ~pf recreational areas of the type he had mentioned was a quarter of a mile for children from five to 10 years and half a mile for children from 10 to 15 years.