PARKING SPACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 238, 8 October 1928, Page 10

PARKING SPACE.

PRIVATE AREA IN USE. FIRST IN THE DOMINION. PROVISION FOR THE FUTURE. The first private parking area in New Zealand has now been unofficially opened for use. This is that belonging to the Farmers' Trading Company, Limited, at the corner of Wyndham and Hobson Streets, opposite the company's warehouse. Provision has there been made for the parking of 88 vehicles. The surface of the ground has not yet been completely finished, but: as the final surface preparation cannot be applied for another six weeks it was decided to allow motor vehicles on to the area.

Low concrete borders divide the area into the various parking spaces, one for each vehicle, and plenty of space has been left between the rows for the easy handling of the cars when entering and leaving the area. The attendant who is on duty at .the company's service station on the opposite side of Wyndham Street will also be in charge of the parking area. At present no parking limit is being imposed, but when the area becomes more crowded one will be necessary. It is the company's intention at a future date to erect over the present area a ferro-con-crete roof, and so double the amount of parking space at present available. Although this is the first private parking area in the Dominion, the idea is being developed in the United States. Two of the biggest department stores with branches in all the main cities are losing no opportunity of buying suitable land near their warehouses for use as parking areas. One of the firms has recently opened a large branch in Los Angeles, and on the opposite side of the road has a parking- area which will accommodate a thousand cars. It has a similar area ift Seattle. The policy of this firm is to buy whenever it" can two city blocks, one for a warehouse and the other for a parking area. The same position will have to be met in Auckland. Already it is difficult to do any extensive shopping in Queen Street with a motor car on account of the parking restrictions. The chief difficulty in the way of firms: wishing to establish private parking areas is the obtaining of suitable land in the vicinity "of their warehouses. The land in Hobson Street was formerly occupied by St. Patrick's school, and on the new school being built in Wellington Street a lease of the property was secured by the Trad-