NEW RAILWAY SITE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15979, 22 November 1919, Page 11

NEW RAILWAY SITE.

UTILISING THE RACECOURSE

PROPOSAL, DEFINITELY STATED,

SOLUTION OF .THE WHARF SITE difficulty;

A proposal to use portion of the present racecourse property as a railway station has assumed definite , It is proposed by the chairman of the Harbour Board, Mr A. G.‘ Bignell, that about-25 acres of the reserve, on the hand side of Ingestre Street should be •given over to railway purposes,, and the balance, including the ornamental grounds to be set apart for municipal purposes.

The total area of th© reserve and adjoining lands now held under lea,<se by the Club from the Borough Council is approximately 77 acres. It is understood that th© Wanganui Jockey Club has decided to purchase a freehold site for their racecourse, and will therefore not require the present reserve for much longer. The Club has spent considerable epqis in improving the grounds, particularly in the portion B which it is proposed to allocate to the Borough Cquncil, and it will be neoescary to compensate the Club for its improvements. THE COST. The bodies interested are the Wanganui Borough Council* the Harbour Board, the Railway Department, and the Wanganui Racecourse trustees, who are appointed to control the racecourse reserve only. The amount of compensation proposed to be paid to tho Wanganui Jockey dub for their Borough lease, improvements, and buildings has been assessed at .£15,000* this amount being assumed for estimate purposes only. It is proposed to allocate this amount as under :

Wanganui Borough Council, .£5900. New Zealand Railways, ,£SOOO. Wanganui Harbour Board, £SOOO. BOROUGH COUNCIL’S PORTION. The portion which it is proposed to be handed over to the Wanganui Borough Council comprises an area of approximately 50 acp-es, containing all the ornamental grounds, improvements, and buildings ,made by the Club. It would be at once available for atheletic games and sports meetings, and could be used for agricultural show purposes. In addition, the‘ornamental grounds could, if necessary, be divided from the sports ground, and there would thus be provided for the use and enjoyment of the public one of the prettiest and best laidout reserves along the-coast. PROPOSED RAILWAY SITE. It is proposed that the pox lion of the reserve which m held by the trustees, that adjoining the Recreation Reserve, should be utilised for railway purposes. There is an excellent public access along Ingestre Street into the reserve. There ; ape several other points at which access by vehicular traffic can be made to the proposed station. Access could be made from Guyton. Street by resuming portion of the Recreation Reserve, while from the Heads Road access to the proposed site could be gained by another road through the Rec. A direct' route to the Post Office oould be obtained by a continuation of Ridgway Street. It is proposed to reserve about 27 acres of the property for railway purposes, and if this is not sufficient, the area could be increased by taking in. the present football reserye, ■ With many points of street access, its proximity to the present railway line, level site,, easy distance from a,nd accessibility to by tramcar from all parts of the city, the site is admirably suited for railway purposes, Naturally railway connection with the wharf will be maintained, probably with the existing line. Thus the Department would be able to give the people of Wanganui the much-needed and modern terminus which the growing importance of the town demands. THE WHARF FRONTAGE. The Harbour Boards share of the bargain will be the possession of all Wanganui foreshore lands, portions of which are now used for railway and shipping purposes. Railway traffic and conveniences for shipping purposes are to be retained as mutually arranged'for. This will settle once and for all time the vexed question of the control of the town wharf, which has been so prominently before the public for so many years. It will allow the Harbour Board to proceed with its scheme of'developing the town’s shipping centre on the most central and convenient site. The Board would bo able to assume control of nil shipping discharging and loading operations, and also could provide the necessary additional wharf shed and wharfage accommodation now so urgently required. . • To give effect to the above proposals a short Act of Parliament would he necessary, but there should .be very little difficulty in obtaining the necessary Parliamentary sanction.