Gas mask makes a point with council

Press, 2 March 1982, Page 6

Gas mask makes a point with council

/. Ventilation in the Riccar--ton Town Hall was so bad that a- policeman attended a recent Rotary meeting wearing.a gas mask,'the Riccarton Borough Council’s works and town, hall committee heard.yesterday./ ; . , Several councillors commented on the inadequacy of the present ventilation system, particularly when the hall was full, with people smoking. ' . The Mayor, Mr.,R. W. J. Harrington, said that the hall at times became “unbearable;” Council staff would’ be asked to investigate the ; problem, and consult ventilation and heating experts. Mini roundabouts The borough’s traffic engineering consultant, Mr P. T. McCombs, will be asked to report on the benefits of replacing sets of traffic lights with mini-roundabouts in the borough. Discussing the success of mini-roundabouts in other areas of Christchurch, councillors suggested that the

intersection of Straven Road and Kilmarnock Street, and the junction of Kilmarnock Street and Deans Avenue could be suitable for mini .roundabouts. . Mr McCombs, of Traffic Design, Ltd, would be asked to .consider the formation of mini-roundabouts as part of an over-all traffic management plan for the borough. Land for gardening Approval in principle was given to the use of council land at 141 A Clarence Street as a base for training young unemployed people in gardening skills. z A joint proposal from the employment committee and the inter-church community care committee envisaged that six people would work under a tutor-organiser. The scheme arose out of needs known by the Labour Department for employees with gardening skills and the needs of elderly residents unable to care for their properties. < ; ■;

The propsed site would be used as a training area, and the scheme could take a new batch of trainees about once every six to eight months . The chairman, Cr 'R. Lester, supported the proposal because it provided an opportunity to do something with the land, which the council had owned for 20 years and “done nothing with.” Councillors debated what length of time the council should commit itself to the proposed use of the land. Cr G. Hunt opposed the idea because he thought it was impractical and that its chances of working were “thin.” Cr Lester suggested a three-year minimum, but Cr Hunt opposed committing the council for more than one year, to “something that is nothing but a germ of an idea.”

The committee agreed in principle that the land could be used for gardening training, and that the scheme’s organisers could finalise details with the Town Clerk.