THE BAY CAROLINE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 11 June 1924, Page 14 (Supplement)

THE BAY CAROLINE.

TIMAITU’S UNRIVALLED BEACH,

Timaru hu.s many assets, and of these none is more valuable to the town, or more widely known that its unrivalled beach. Timaruvians visiting- other' centres almost invariably discover that when outside people think of Timaru, they think of Caroline Bay—and the two are, in a word, synonomous. Nor is this to be wondered at when once*one has seen the broad blue sea, the J.evel stretch of sand, the trees and buildings ;and green-clad terraces which have made this beauty-spot so deservedly famous. Yet it is only during the last few years that the people of the capital of South Canterbury have come to realise the immense potentialities of Caroline. B uy, not only for their own recreation, but also as a means of boosting their town. In these days of bustle and progress, it would seem, that no wide-awake community could overlook the possibilities held out by a lioaeh at their very doors, rivalling in attractiveness even the great watering-places of the south coast of England. But so it was. Year after year Caroline Bay, with its vast treasure-house of pleasure and recreation for young and old, visitors and townspeople alike, lay fast bound and fettered by public apathy.

Happily, such a state of affairs has b§@n rectified. The march of progress brought with it a wider appreciation of the need for development, of the Bay, and in 1897 a little band of men, more far-seeing perhaps, than their fellows, mdre public-spirited, s«w in Caroline Bay a .great opportunity. They saw, not a narrowstrip of beach, littered and unlovely -vith odds and ends of refuse, a rubbish-tip at one end, but a white stretch of sand, tree-lined walks and beds of flowers, green shrubberies and garden seats—a sun-drenched, happy spot where youth and age might pass their leisure hours in peace and pleasure.

The. idealism of these gentlemen took practical form, and a working bee was organised,

which for some years did useful, if spasmodic, work. At least, they opened the eyes of the public to what could be accomplished on the Bay by organised effort, before their enthusiasm drooped, through lack of support. After a time, however, a new body came into being—the Caroline Bay Association—which took up with energy the work of stimulating public interest and raising funds to improve the Bay. For a number of years past this Association has worked devotedly and with unflagging energy to make Caroline Bay famous throughout the Dominion as a watering-place, and it has succeeded. The fact that thousands of visitors pour into Timaru every summer to spend their holidays on the beach, is ample

testimony to its popularity, It would bo difficult indeed to And a safer beach for bath on, Arm and level as it is, shelving in a gentle incline from the water’s edge, without a pot-hole, undertow, or current, where non-swimmers and experts alike may bathe in perfect safety. But the attractions of the Bay do not end with bathing. The Borough Council has laid down a number of excellent asphalt tennis courts, which are in great demand all day long during the season, and of late it has been made possible to play by night as well, the courts being illuminated with powerful, electric lights. A splendid new pavilion has been built to replace the one destroyed by fire over a year ago, and

it is ideal for dances and social functions. Green lawns have been laid out, with a low sod wall on the seaward side, and electric lamps at intervals which brightly illuminate the beach at night, and greatly enhance the appearance of the sea-front. At the eastern end of the beach are swings and see-saws, which are always popular with the children. Such is Caroline Bay—in summer, crowded with visitors and happy children, from early morning till late at night, the Mecca of country picnickers from as far afield as Oamaru and Christchurch; in winter, its northerly aspect makes it a warm and sunny spot in which to spend a leisure afternoon. Much has been accomplished, but even yet there is scope for

further improvement, especially in the matter of catering for the entertainment of the summer visitors, and providing for their accommodation. Every year hundreds of people are turned away because.the hotels and boarding houses are unable to find room for them, and, as a result, much money which would othei > - wiso be spent in Timaru is diverted to other centres. No stone should be left unturned in devising means to attract more, and yet more, people to spend their annual summer holidays in Timaru-by-the-Sen.