THE BASIN RESERVE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2506, 6 July 1915, Page 9

THE BASIN RESERVE

BILL BEING SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT THE IMPROVEMENT SCHEME. Bill authorising tho City Council to make tho alterations to the Basin Reserve in accordance with the lines laid down in what is known as the major scheme is now being advertised, and after this formality is proceeded with Parliament will bo asked to' consider the measure at the first opportunity that offers. The Mayor (Mr. J: P. Luke) does not anticipate any opposition to tho Bill in Parliament, for two reasons—that tho proposed alteration' does not diminish the. sizo -of the ground available to the public, and gives the council an opportunity of saving a considerable recurring expenditure caused by the four acute corners that have to be negotiated in rounding the reserve at tho present time. -. It may be remembered that in tho proposed schome devised by. the City Engineer (Mr W. H. Morton), the Basin is to he divided into three parts, viz., a playing area consisting of about 6} acres, a 66ft. roadway for tramway and ordinary traffic, and an area of 11-5 acres to be laid out as a children's playground on tho eastern or Dufforin Street side of tho reserve. The roadway is to cut right through the reserve from tho southern end of Kent Terrace to the northern end of Adelaide Road, describing a slight curve, but not sufficiently curved to warrant any slackening in .the speed of through cars. This fact alone is going_to reduce the time occupied m the trip from Newtown to Wellington, and vice versa by from two to three minutes, as the pace of the cars lias to be slackened . in .taking 1 . .the corners at present. On occasions; too, there has been marked congestion at the Kent Terrace stopping place, particularly when there are sports meetings being held on the reserve. When the alterations are made' the cars will have two. stopping-places to load and unload passengers, one at Kent Terrace, and the other at the eastern gate about, halfway .through the new street. The new sports-ground will necessitate a good deal of excavation. The pavilion will come .away, and the bank on which it stands, including that on which the caretaker's cottage stands, will be out away to the level of the present playing area. Hitherto the bank has been a popular reclining place for spectators. Tnis will' be compensated for in a measure by the erection of a large pavilion to seat at least 1500 people, which will be erected on the Sussex Street side right out to. the level of the street. In this manner full provision will bo made for the sports people and for spectators; whilst the children will have an enclosed ground'specially laid out for themselves in the. sunniest part of the ground. With a new road 66ft. wide cutting through the reserve to take-all classes of traffic' naturally leads to'the suggestion■ that Du'fferin Street, widened only a few years ago, might' either bo diminished or that- a strip of it'on" the reserve side might be planted with trees, whose overhanging branches may in years to come afford grateful shade to tho children of the next generation.

Mr. Luke confesses that he is heartily glad that the council favoured the bigger scheme, as the losser one only meant tinkering with the matter in a costly way for a temporary convenience! As soon as Parliament sanctions the work by passing the Bill, council-will be asked to make suggestions as to thefinancing of the cost of the work, and if favourable terms can be secured, the work will be proceeded with at once — this year, if possible.. Tlus should make it ; clear to the cricketing community that should Parliament offer no obstacles and the local money market is favourable there is every prospect of the Basin Reserve not being available for cricket during, the coining season'.