COST OF CITY PARKS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2116, 6 April 1914, Page 6

COST OF CITY PARKS.

AND SPORTS AREAS, v IltrS FROM COUNCILLOR FROST. LARGE AMOUNTS. Possibly littio thought is taken by tho average citizen who occasionally takes liis ease or his exorcise in. one or axother of the city reserves of what tlio upkeep of these "open, spaces" (as many people havo grown' fond of calling them) amounts to fa. the year. It is, in fact, a very considerable sum. Last nook the charges for tlio grounds to sports bodies were increased with tho object of bringing revenue from these fields a little -nearer to tho anwunt expended,. but, tho amount which the City pays for the upkeep of these grounds is said to be still much above what it receives.

"Citizens Have No Idea." "Citizens havo no idea wlmt tho upkeep of tho reserves costs them, or how much anxiety and labour are entailed upon, the Reserves Committee of tho City Council in keeping the espem'situro 1 down to an amount wnich t-lsa Oily can afford to pay," said Councillor G, Frost, chairman of the Reserves Committee, in conversation with a Dominion reporter on Saturday- "Last year tho maintenance "of reserves—exclusive of e-ea beaches, on which the expenditure has been considerable of lata years, and of tho Town Belt, where fairly extensive tree-planting schemes havo Leon embarked upon—was £7203. This year we hope to fee able to cut that down a little. I am glail that the sports bodies are making 110 serious protest against tho increased charges that we are levying tipoa them for tho Use of 'grounds, because, in my opinion, incrc-asod charges Wero necessary in fairness to the general ratepayer. Every playing field ire have easts us £70 per season pcr_ ground, or £140 per year. Hitherto we havo charged £5 fis! pelyear for winter games, and a correspondingly low rate (at per month) for summer games, but even at the increased charges of £10 10s. per grotind. we .shall still not be receiving a return comparable with our expenditure. Moreover, wo can not- find grounds for all the people who ask for them. Probably we shall never be able to do this, and I'think that it was mainly for this reason that- the council agreed to encourage sports bodies to provide their, own grounds by remitting a, portion of the rates cltio upon them.

What Various Reserves Cost, "Do you know that the amount allocated last year for tho maintenance of Anderson Park, a small reserve of B.J acres, partly in tho rough, was £370? Two-men. havo to bo regularly employed 011, this park. At tho Basin Reserve the playing area is kept in order by tho Wellington Cricket Association, hut the custodian has charge of tho paths, flower gardens, and the outside area generally. Last year the amount spent on this .reserve was £520, a larger amount than usual owing; to tho ground having to be rolovcllcfl and regr-assed. For the Botanical Gardens last year the amount allocated was £2175. Five moil are regularly employed in tho gardens proper, with five labourers cutting grass and doing other'unskilled work, and one carter. On Walwfiekl Park, shioli consists only of two sports grounds, four men are regularly employed, and ' tho amount expended last year was £6f>B. TCclburno Park cost us '.£386 last year. Two men arc constantly employed there, but wo aro advised that the 'deep cully on tho east and south sides would be (ratter for tho attention of two extra men.. Tho amount used for the upkeep of Newtown Park last year was '£S8&. On the ground is a tea kiosk erected at a cost of £650. which is leased at £103 nor aiujiim, Recently, also, shelter buildings, convertible in stalls, wore erected at a cost of £350, • Five men work rcgnlarly on 4l re playing area and the surrounding plantations and paths

Grounds in the Making. have also two grounds in the making which must cost us a deal of money before they are in shape. Some t-hreo years ago tho council ptwchasd! 13., acres ot sandhills adjoining the £o-il / c * o !' csltcrc ior Mo sum of iyoiW. Of tins area approximatolv 12 acres liavo been formed, at a cost of £3270. Shelter belts of trees have been planted, and this ground will shortly bo ready for sports. Tho other is tho Kilbirnio Recreation Ground. The dry land portion of this property wo tooic over when Melrose borough was merged in tho city, but tho area of it is bmnf extended by reclamation. Tho expands tare for reclamation and to date Iras been £0268.' °

"Even the little patches of garden hero a»d there kt the streets are not maintained without' relatively heavy cost,. Tho little triangle* at tho Court«®*y Pkeo tram-stop costs £33 a year, tho . Newtown Library -grounds £51 a year, tho Queen's Park £114 (mid more planting is necessary there), the Mooro Street and Fstzhorbert Terrace Reserves £60 a year, and tlio Thorndon Esplanade £43 a year."

Mr. Frost remarked, in conclusion, that lie did.not put forward tneso facts as evidenco that, tlw expenses no tho reserves wore- too high, or that they ought to ho reduced, but simply to gives the public some idea of what a very big undertaking -the management of reserves has already become in this city.