RAPID PROGRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26779, 24 May 1948, Page 7

RAPID PROGRESS

CONSTRUCTION SCHEME TENNIS COURTS AT OCEAN BEACH Rapid progress in the construction scheme of asphalt courts on the Ocean Beach domain has been made in recent weeks by the Dunedin Lawn Tennis Union and the Otago Basketball Association. So far £3350 has been spent on the area by the combined associations. In a statement to the Daily Times the president of the Tennis Union, Mr E. L. Hope, said that the original plan had to be altered considerably because the Dunedin Drainage Board would not permit the linking up of the drains on the area with the city stormwater system. This meant that instead of having to dispose of a sandhill at practically no cost, the whole area had to be raised four to five feet so that a sufficient fall could be obtained to drain the stormwater back into sumps in the Domain Board's land. This work, which was done by mechanical means, had increased the costs of preparing the foundations of the courts by £ISOO. The final levelling, Mr Hope continued, preparatory to laying the asphalt on 12 courts, had now been finished and the balance of the area would be completed as funds became available. !

Voluntary working parties were present every Saturday morning and already 1100 hours have been put in at the task. It had* been estimated that more than £IOOO could be saved by this type of labour. Further finance, however, would be required, Mr Hope went on, before the courts could be laid. The need for the completion of the courts was urgent, ho said, if young people were to continue active participation. Already the resources of the 2000 members of both bodies were inadequate.