VOICE OF YOUTH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 39, 12 January 1945, Page 5

VOICE OF YOUTH

HOW TO IMPROVE WHAKATANE

COMPETITIVE ESSAY

The third: competitive essay Instituted by the Whakatane Beautifying Society amongst pupils of the District High on' 'how to beauftitfy and improve the town,' is printed and is by J. Seebeck. The essay is interesting in that it affords once again the viewpoint of the younger generation. The essay came third in the competition.

"Whakatane is a town which leaves a -deep impression on the mind of even the most casual visitor. He never forgets the .town's unusual setting, the Pohutukawa trees, and the gaunt grey rock. Nevertheless Whakatane is not the best known of New Zealand's beautiful towns. For this reason the Beautifying Society should prove an asset to Whakatane.

Undoubtedly the first impressions of a town are the most important ones. Thus it is essential that the approaches to the town be improved. As one enters the Strand one sees the Rock and at its base a neat green lawn but across the road on the left there is a very ugly piece of waste land. I think this would be a good position for the band rotunda. Most of Wha'katane's public ceremonies are held there, at the Rock and this, beskles improving a waste plot, would be a pleasant gesture towards the band. There is nothing so pretty as a band rotunda and it makes an admirable setting for trees. But Whakatane's most glaring fault lies in her waterfront. In other towns such as Napier and Picton tlie waterfront is the chief beauty. But in Whakatane —righit from the proposed site of the new Post Office down to the Heads sliould be a pleasant stretch of cool green park land interspersed with shady trees and shrubs. I also think that the Heads road would be a fine place for a •cherry tree avenue. Gould we not grow the single cherry instead of the common double variety.

And since the Heads folk persisit in fondly exclaiming over the entire absence of frost in their district why not grow jacarandas there? The jacaranda is, after all a sea coast, tree with a marked aversion to frost. So what more could a jacaranda ask foe ?

The Society I thinly start on a general tidying up campaign. Encourage the householders to- tidy up the strips between their front gates and the road. In this way much should be accomplished at little cost..

Then around the borough there are odd corners where a coalt of paint and a few concealing trees would work wonders. At the end of Commerce Street there are some rather ramshackle old gates which could easily be straightened and painted. Again looking across from the Strand to the concrete steps, leading up the hill } one is. struck by the possibilities' which lie in that spot. There is probably no other placc in the town which lends itself so readily to beautifying as this one. imagine, instead of the untidy grass there' a patch of gay colourful gazanias or even the ordinary arctotis. And then it would not be hard to plant a clinging creeper to the mass of loose rubble coming down from the road. The well known Virginian creeper or the Climbing Fig would be suitable. The creepers would, of have to be planted from both top and bottom.

Then I think that the already ex- j isting 'tracks' leading to various viewpoints on the hill should be 'improved until they are at ;east footpaths. The views obtained from the. hill are magnificent and should be within the easy reach of every citizen. These tracks could be broadened and perhaps low growing natiye. shrubs could be planted along them. Thes« would open up a quite wide field of historical interest as well. Alter all, Whakatane's pas have an old and long history.

Among the trees Avitli which Whakatane might be planted I would li'ke to advocate the planting of the yellow kowhai. This is a very lovely tree and would make a lovely sight gracing the streets of our town. Perhaps just as Napier is known for her' Norfolk Pines- Whakatanc might become known for her kowhais. Those are my suggestions and I sincerely hope that it will not hope that it will not prove impossible to carry them out.