PLAY AREAS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11250, 30 June 1922, Page 6

PLAY AREAS

MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT SEVERAL AYORKS TO BE PUT IN HAND. LAST NIGHT’S DECISIONS. Several matters relating to children's day areas were considered by the City Council last evening. It was decided to accept an offer from the -housing branch of the Labour Department to convey to the Council as a playing area 2.) acres of laud at Central Miramar. It was decided that the erection of a temporary fence and tho levelling up of the area should bo put in hand- ~ - Councillor W. H. Bennett said no understood tho Government was to improve tho property. , Councillor J. Thompson sard that the ground was fairly level, and would not require much attention and maintenance. AT THE BASIN RESERA T E. The reserves committee re-ported that it had recently paid a visit of inspection to the children’s play area at the Basin Reserve. It recommended that in order to provide a greater playing area for children and also more accommodation for spectators, the. present children's playground should be filled in to within 66 feet of the present piclcot fence. This would provide a ■level area of 3S yards by 90 yards and would be sloped off in a manner similar to the bank on the. northern side of tho present pavilion. It was proposed to commence with the filling immediately. BOYS’ INSTITUTE SCHEME. The finance committee reported that ft had received a deputation from representatives of the AVollington Hospital Board and tho AA’ellington Boys’ Institute asking that lavatory accommodation bo provided on portion .of the Hospital Board’s property at Riddiford street proposed to b© set aside as a playing area for children. The Boys’ Institute was prepared.to spend £IOOO in providing and erecting suitable apparatus for a play area, and the Hospital Board had under consideration the leasincr of the site to tho Institute and the clearing, levelling, and asphalting of the property in order that it might bo used as a play station. The ■City Engineer estimated that an amount of £6OO would be required to comply with the request. The committee recommended that subject to the hospital trustees granting a satisfactory tenure to the corporation, and also provided that permanent access from the street was granted, conveniences slioula be erected in accordance with plans to be prepared bv the City Engineer. CouncilloV T. Forsyth, discussing the report, pointed out that tho proposal for a playground on the Mount ATictoria side of the city had been. persistently set aside from time to time,. He considered the Piri© street Reserve should be improved and converted into a playground. The Mayor (Mr R. A. Wrigjht, M.P.) said that the council was only concerned with the erection of conveniences in connection with the Boys’ Institute qcheme. The hit. Victoria scheme was another matter, and tho proposed vote did not affect the carrying out of the Pirie street reserve improvement. The recommendation was adopted after further discussion. PRINCE OF WALES’ PARK. The reserves committee also reported that it had accepted the offer or the Wellington Returned iSoldiers’ Association to contribute an amount of from £IOOO to £llOO for expenditure for relief of unemployed returned soldiers, and had arranged for an amount or £ISOO to be expended on the completion of the playing area of the Prinoe of Wales’ Park, the balance to be devoted to the levelling cf the Lyall Bay sandhills. As the contribution was subject to a £ for £ subsidy by the council, it was proposed that.the council’s subsidy should he a portion of the loan money allocated for tire improvement of city reserves. All the recommendations were adopted.