OLD CITY LANES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24103, 23 October 1941, Page 15

OLD CITY LANES

IMPROVEMENT WOBKS SYMONDS STREET AREA FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Two lanes in the Symonds Street are •» which were part of the ill-planned system of enrlv Auckland have recently been greatly improved, making way for the future development of a portion of the steep slopes below Grafton Bridge. One of these. Whitnker Place, has been extended by the construction of a new street at right angles to the original thoroughfare, and St. .Martin's Lane has been widened and paved. Originally Whitaker Place was a narrow lane off Symonds Street which served a lew houses in the gully. It was later widened and paved and gave access to several blocks of modern flats. There is a large area oi valuable building land between ihe end of this road and the bridge and to open up this the owners have constructed the new road. This extends from the lower end of Whitaker Place for 500 feet and has been laid down to a width of 40 feet, witu (sealed carriageway and wide footpaths. The work in St. Martin s Lane has been done hv the City Council by arrangements with the owners affected. The upper part of the lane was widened some vears ago when a strip of land was given for the purpose by the board ol the ( hrisiiau Science Church. Now a f n ther 00 feet of the lane lias been widened, Messrs. ( avanagh and Company having donated a strip ol land wiiiie on n,ts served by the extension have contributed to the cost. '1 his thorougl.tare, originally only 20 leet wid \ has now been paved to a width ol feet. I; is contemplated that at some future date the new portion of Whitaker Place will be further ext. tided to join the lower end of St. Mat tin's Lane, and thus give a through route to Symonds Street.