PLAY AREAS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 January 1932, Page 5

PLAY AREAS

BOROUGH COUNCIL ATTITUDE. “If possible I think it should be reserved as an open space for there is nothing in that way for the children at that end of the town,” said Cr. H. M. Peacock at a meeting of the Borough Council last night when the application of the present tenant for a renewal of the lease of the area of land between the gasworks and West School was under discussion. The recommendation of the Gas Committee was that the Beautifying Society be approached with a view to ascertaining their wishes in regard to the paddock as a play area. Should the Society not wish to make use of the land then the present tenant to be granted a renewal for a period of three years. The chairman of the Park and Reserves Committee, Cr. Peacock, said that they had to be careful that the Council was not saddled with the upkeep should the Beautifying Society decide to do something in the way suggested with the land. He was not against open spaces but they would have to decide whether an increase in the charges for upkeep of reserves was justified at the present time. The Mayor, Mr. T. Jordan, observed that the Beautifying Society had been promised the ground some time ago and the recommendation followed that promise.

Cr. Peacock, in expressing the hope that the Beautifying Society would make some use of the ground, said the Council should work in close co-opera-tion with the Society in the matter. It was eventually decided to do this before discussing the question further.