New Airport Scheme Will be Considered

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 725, 26 July 1929, Page 1

New Airport Scheme Will be Considered

KEEN INTEREST ROUSED PROPOSAL FOR AVONDALE - Keen interest has been roused, particularly in aviation circles, by the announcement in yesterday's SUN of Mr. David B. Russell’s scheme for the relief of unemployment. Portion of his proposal provides for the construction of Auckland’s air port on the tidal sand island at the foot of Rosebank Road, Avondale. This island lies beside Pollen’s Point, a peninsula-like area, now an unimproved reserve, which forms the extremity of the eastern side of the Whau estuary. In detailing, in yesterday’s Sun, a scheme by which this reserve could be transformed into recreation areas, and a stop-bank and roadway built across to Te Atath, Mr. Russell contended that it would be a comparaeively simple matter to throw a retaining wall round the sandy island and, by filling and reclaiming, produce an area of 150 acres as an airport site. The old Avondale" Road Board acquired the island because of its large shell deposits, and, at a later date, tlie Avondale Borough Council made good use of the supplies available. Since the merger, however, little has been done. The present area is of about 70 acres, and a small channel separates it from the mainland, although it may be reached dryshod at low tide. At least two engineers have inspected the locality which, admittedly, has much to commend it, as there are safe air approaches under practically any conditions. After a meeting held at mid-day today, Mr. Spencer Mason, chairman of the executive committee of the Anck land Aero Club, when invited to discuss the proposition, said: “The club has had numerous propositions before it. All will receive very careful consideration.” The Sun’s photographic section today contains ail unusually interesting picture of the proposed airport at Avondale as it would he viewed by an airman approaching from the direction of Auckland City.