TOWN ACCESS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 08, Issue 89, 13 July 1945, Page 5

TOWN ACCESS

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE DISCUSSED ¥"■" **+ • — f BUSINESSMENS' OPINION HARBOUR BOARD'S SCHEME ENDORSED A subject of considerable mo- ' - merit to the town of Whakatane the creation of an, alternative access route to the Strand' was the principal topic of discussion' at a full meeting of the Chamber of Commerce last evening when speakersi from the Harbour Board 1 and County handled the subject from a broader point of view than usual. The whole subit was claimed by speakers was tightly bound up with the progress and expansion of the town and interesting questions wer eput and answered by Mr W. R. Boon, Chairman of the Harbour Mr C. H. Breb--11 er the engineer and Mr C. G. Xucas ? secretary. Mr H. G.'Warren presided and v welcomed ,the visitors from the BoardMr A. J. Canning who introduced the subject, said that the Harbour Board; had already drawn up a plan for the extension of the Strand *oad ? which he maintained would open up the whole town and allow for much needed expansion. Leaving the Strand opposite the Rock the proposed road would link up with McAlister Street and McGarvey's Road and. in providing the new outlet "would avoid the bottleneck of Commerce Street. He congratulated the IHarbour Board and condemned the negative attitude of the Borough •Council as unprogressive and pessimistic. The reclamation of the flats he said was an undertaking absolutely essential to the prosperity of the town. There was an insatiable demand for business sites in this town .and yet there were claimred that such a scheme was unwise .and impracticable. ' Mr R. F. Smith contended that it was essential if the businessmen of the town were to study the pr<jgress of Whakatane to establish an alternative access route. He strongly supported the scheme as a means of improving the layout of the business area and of creating a shorter and quicker access to the residential area. Mr C. F. Thomas mentioned that it had been a surprise to him to learn that McGarvey's Road was .apparently at a higher level than Louvain Street. He mentioned also the' acute shortage of building sections which the new scheme of reclamation would serve to relieve considerably. ! The County Engineer in answer to a question said that the proposed road would be on an average built up to approximately 18"-higher than the surrounding country. There was a fall of some all the way to the river along the whole of the

stretch concerned. Mr W. R; Boon expressed liis pleasure at the opportunity to address the businessmen of the town. The scheme under discussion had been formulated by the Hai'bour Board which body was prepared to lind the whole! of the cost 'of formation and reclamation. It would be k done mainly by the dumping of spoil from adjacent sites. The road was part of a larger plan which the Board had initiated which would! serve the town in years to come. The .Borough had practically approved the. new road as far as McAlister Street but the Board'desired to continue 'on to McGarvey's Road and in to King Street. Mr C. G. Lucas then read Mr D.

Mawson's (Director of Town Plan,-' ning) report to the Harbour Board in 1937 which strongly favoured the scheme of reclamation. Mr McCarthy, survey expressed amazement that the road in question had not be put through years ago in the face of Whakatane's obvious growth. It w-as a straight-for-ward proposition presenting no difficulties at a\li Mr R. W. Schofield traced the early history of the land, concerned from the time it was cut up in the , Witch ell Estate. It would pay the Borough Council, he said ? to buj the land and cut it up as a proposition. It was; part of the policy oJ all Harbour Boards to make reclama

tions and here was an instance where such action was urgently needed in the interests of the community and the potential smceess of the town. The scheme he contended. would if fully accomplished serve to reduce the heavy rating in other directions. He urged that the meeting should request the Borough Council to withdraw its opposition, and if it still persisted in its stand then to call a public meeting to back up the request. Mr J. Creeke eonceeded that there was much to commend the but there were also many obstacles. The scheme had been carefully considered by the. Borough Council. He mentioned that 70 years ago the area was nothing 1 but a swamp, and torday was still subject to flood. Even if the road were formed —what was going to happen. Mr Canning: There will be motor cars running along it, Joe! Continuing Mr Creeke said that the Borough Council was mainly concerned with the upkeep of the reclamation.

Other speakers were Messrs Ken Schofield, C. W. Good, R. Chapman, G. A. Brabant and C. F. Thomas.

The question of regulating the Hooding in, Apanui during high tides and easterly gales also occupied the meeting, and it "was suggested that the erection of a floodgate would overcome the major trouble in this connection. Mr Brabant warned against the possibilities of King Street growing into a potential shopping area to the detriment of the Strand. The scheme to be complete should include another river bridge opposite the Paper Mills. In answer to a further question Mr Boon stated that whilst the total cost had not yet been considered it was tlie intention of the Board if consent were gained, to at least form a useable road right up to the corner in the .very near future. As sections were taken: up however portions of the road would be standardised and offered to the Borough Council for dedication. The chairman said he would like to see the matter linked up with "the main highway, the proposed new bridge and the Harbour Board's scheme. All three points he contended were contingent one with the other. On the motion; of Mr Canning it was decided that the meeting request the Borough Council to reconsider its objection to the taking of the necessary lands and severances for the purpose of extending the Strand through its reclamation to King Street as outlined in the Harbour Board's plan. A further motion by Mr Brabant, that the Harbour Board and Chamber of Commerce discuss the matter further with the Borough Council was also carried. A special vote of thanks to the members of the Harbour Bo'ard and to othcr /; visiting speakers was carried unnnimously.