WESTOWN’S RESERVES

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1934, Page 7

WESTOWN’S RESERVES

REALLY FORTUNATE SUBURB. AT.T, PREFERENCES CATERED FOR. New Plymouth’s suburb of Westown is particularly fortunate in the public reserves either within its area or • close at hand. Within a small radius Western Park and Sanders Park provide excellent facilities for cricket and football and within a few years Rugby Park, quite close to these, will be in use. The Rotokare Tennis Club’s courts are a little farther from town and the links of the Okoari Golf Club are within a quarter of a mile. A proposal to build swimming baths in the district has been suggested. With the formation of these Westown could provide for almost every sport, in summer and in winter.

It is not only in sportsgrounds that the suburb excels. Some of the gardens in the district have won a name even beyond the borders of the province. The late Mr. C. Sanders’ garden attracts visitors throughout the year, with its beautiful shrubs and rare plants. Messrs. Duncan and Davies’ nursery is in itself as large as most parks and contains an extensive collection of trees and shrubs both native and exotic.

The view from the top of Western Park hill is unequalled in the district. It embraces the whole town from Paritutu in the west to Fitzroy beach. Outside the borough boundary, but within easy reach of Westown, are the Barrett lagoon and Ratapihipihi reserves. In both these attractive picnicking spots the bush has suffered little from interference and depredation by the public. At Ratapihipihi some fine specimens of rimu trees can be seen as well as delightful groves of nikau palms. About these reserves there extends a bird sanctuary covering 2500 acres. The birds, evidently realising the protection afforded them, abound in the bush which resounds with the free singing of native birds. It would be difficult to find in New Zealand another suburb so well endowed as Westown.