Open Spaces for Birmingham

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 54, 6 March 1939, Page 5

Open Spaces for Birmingham

BIRMJ NGHA M Bi rmi ngha rn Common Good Trust, which has helped provide England’s second largest, city with parks, recreation grounds, and open spaces has celebrated its twentyfirst anniversary. The trust was founded by Mr George Cadbury, Birmingham industrialist. Its aim was to enable the Corporation to act in cases where land or buildings of importance to the. city were being sold, either when immediate action was necessary, or when it was undesirable that the matter should be publicly discussed. Under the deed the trustees have the power of investing the Trust funds in the purchase of land, whether yielding income or not. Thus land can be bought that is likely to be of use to the Corporation for open spaces or recreation grounds, or for town planning, or other purposes. The Council is then given the opportunity of buying it from 1 he trustees at. the price they have paid. While the land remains in the hands

of the trustees it may be let to the Corporation or even to a. third party. Some of the Trust’s purchases of land have made possible road widening, road making, park extensions, allotments, and open spaces. One interesting grant from the Trust was £7,700 for fruit trees and ornamental trees on new municipal estates, and for encouraging gardening. Grants amounting to £BOO have been made to community centres and playing fields on municipal housing estates. The trustees act as legal holders of properties used as community centres on municipal estates; the, total value of these, properties is rather more than £21,000. “What have you been doing to your hand, my man?” “Hammered my thumb, mum.” “Dear e, how did you come io do that*? ’ ’ “ Hammering, mum! ”