FISH PONDS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20175, 2 March 1931, Page 6

FISH PONDS.

REOPENING AT OPAWA. A TRANSFORMATION^ ' {'Some { of , you, probably jlo. not' realise it, but the ground upon which you' are standing is historic.') Long before the pilgrims came Mr iJohii Deans, Mr Dupper, and Captain Daniel' stood here to look over iihe, plains, I ', Mr George Harper (chair-(< man , of ' the Christchurch DomainsBoard) when declaring -Ponds at " Opawa'open to* the ,geAerkl\ public on Saturday afternoon. Year& ago, the ponds were a|avourit4 picnio place, but they have been closed ' for,the,past-10' years."' Five 1 years ago' the laqd and houses were taken over'by Mr Brims, who hps relaid the' lawns and " flower beds, - introduced deck tennis,"miniature' golf,' a'dancing 4oor, deck' quoitß .and sundr'y /other sports and onc6 more revived the old' .glory of the place in a thoroughly UP-.' to-date manner, It is his intention. to, put down two asphalt tennis courts and. to reopfeii - the aquarium. Striking improvements''have' been made. The flower beds are'a blaze-of colour and beautiful old trees—mulberry, weeping willows .and' walnuts,' among others — give ample-'shade!; < Beautiful Grounds. There are six ponds full- of goldfish ■ and water lilies, and pretty'walks take the visitor into all sorts of entrancing 1 spots. . All facilities are provided -for , open-air afternoon tea and supper, ana, at . night time the t grounds are lighted' by thirty-five 400-candle-power, multicoloured lamps. ,A loud speaker sends the .latest" melodies through, the gar,'defls and'provides music for patrons of the open-air"d£nce floor. On Wednes- | day in each'weelr the whole of the pro- ! ceeds are to be .devoted to improving, i Jf 1 ® river " bank in the locality, and on oaturday . afternoon half the takings 'were to be given, to the unemployment * ®V""5 arpe ?f «pwsaed regret that Cr. t' torm the opening ceremony. She; was a member of the Unemployment Board, ne-said, and was doing excellent work <at.h«sr relief depot- , . , _ Board, was constituted-the run<p had fallen ' off '.considerably*.: ;? i was ' urgently -needed and fill would appreciate 'Mr Brim's generotn e ®f OJar^, r Pg .ha'f th© day's takings for .the relief of .distrcss,- ' i f' 4< * 'i > 1 v * ' ' 1 *

m "I l emember theee grminds when, kfr .Harper. u i. am, Bore'^tnere.■-■are Mot w^ci^re&iiss'th 8 ' interest in fi&h tnodnced into New. Zealandvfrom ilas- - mania in 1864, ontil 1875. - crossed I prospectors." I really a coiruption o! the ~M«on 'O^Whawa.^-^ i s beautiful; >it *s l frill'. and it is indeed a 'stated that the Municipal,Band-.wotriak $ -m* Rev. a- A; occasion was,®, renr. interestijtti?i»feW It was more remarkable still to have present a man of tlip ■ calibre of 1 JMr .George Harper; recall v r fortunate ! ip^'its Most of them were'due 1 to- men of'iihe pilgrims, who -had vinmoriJaadl+JKi*sSSWftS •.age of, their conviction. 1 ■. -„4> , ,>■