LYALL BAY WANTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2686, 4 February 1916, Page 2

LYALL BAY WANTS

(By "Sylvius."

BATHING ACCOMMODATION

LADIES UNFAIRLY TREATED

The present has been a boom season for Lyall Bay. the discovery that Wellington had lino ocean beaches and that surl'-bathing was an undiluted joy, this bay and its precincts have within five years jumped from a thin suburban settlement to an almost up-to-date bathing, week-end, and permanent residential resort.' -This season —of all seasons—has shown the biggest increase'in the number of visitors,"and possibly in tho number of new residences erected, and the end is not yet. Saturday afternoons-, Sundays, 'and' holidays find the beach ' literally alive with bathers, whilst on fine off-days it is a common sight to see thousands of people on tho beach and in tin* surf. The growth of Lyall Hay lias been so rapid and its popularity this season -lias been so marked that the place lias caught the authorities napping. Here where it is a common sight to see throe or four thousand ipeoplo .spread along tho strand at ordinary times, and twice that manv on holidays, only five dressing-sheds* are piouded lour lor the men and only one for women. The latter is a mediumsized shed, dark, because the only light that is permitted to enter is* that which struggles through wooden-louvrcd windows. As a matter of fact, tho (lrossing-honscs are constructed on a wrong principle. It would be much better if they were, roofless or practically roofless, so that there could bo always plenty of light and fresh air. It tho only bit. of roof provided was sufficient to protect the hanging clothes of bathers from the sun and rain, that is all that is needed above, whilst tho floors—or at least the centre of tho floors should be laid down in battens instead of close boards, so that the sand and wet deposited by bathors fresh in hom tho surf could disposo of themselves.

When tho Tahitians went into bathe jesterday, tho men's shed reserved for tuem was dry and clean. .Hall' an hour later, tho placo was a muck-house, the floor mushy v;ifch wet sand and wator from end to end. As there is an open outlook from the men's sheds the light and air wore nothing to complain of, but w hat must it bo of an evening in tho ladies' shed, when tho little dark room has been populated throughout the daj- from the earliest morning? Even the caretaker (M.r. Minifie) admits that the situation is a bad one, but as there is only the ono place for the ladies of th° wholo of Wellington, what can he do m the matter? Plans had beeij prepared years ago for a really big bathhouse, with lock-up cubicles and perfectly up-to-dato 1 arrangements, but the scheme was shelved, as it could not be seen at the time how the building scheme could be financed. Since then Lj all Bay lias advanced by leaps and bounds, and it is destined within a few years to bo a large and important distnct with a permanent population. .Una has been recognised by the authorities in constructing the Crawford Road extension of the tramways, whilst a capital index as to the growth of tho place is always available in tho tramway returns. Whilst a big bath-house of a Continental character is very at-, tractive in perspective, additional accommodation must be mado for tho ladies forthwith, and alterations should at once be made in the lighting of tho shed, and arrangements should be mado to mop the floor cloaii two or three times a day when the crowds aro ■on the beacli.

. As Mr. iilorton (tho City Engineer) is leaving to-morrow oil a visit to Sydney, it would bo of waiue to know the area of dressing-shed floor-space provided at Coogee, Bondi, and Manly, both lor men and women. Tho total floor space available for both sexes at Lyall Bay is 300 square feet. It should also be pointed out as a strange anomaly that of the four dressing sheds- for men two are vested in the Maramu Surf Club and the Lyall Bav •Surf Club, so that actually only two sheds are available for the male public outside the membership of those clubs. Such is the position now that tho beach may be crowded with bathers, yet only half a dozen people might have the right to undress and dress in the club sheds. Tho beach is now lield in such public favour that it is just a question as «> whether the members of private clubs should have any rights at all on tho beach over any other citizen. All are contributing equally to the cost of the improvements that aro continually being made at tho Bay, and it is anomalous that a few people should bo given special privileges. One of the clubs concerned did contribute the sum of £90 towards the erection of thfir shed but that subsidy could be adjusted in somo way in order to give the council absoluto control of ever}' building on the beach. It is not suggested that the council should consider the matter of providing bathing-shed accommodation for tho huge crowds that favour the beach on special holidays, but as matters now sta.nd much more accommodation should be provided for the general public other than tho tM'o sheds for men, and the one for women, before next soasou. The whole question of beach control and dressing-shed accommodation is to bo considered by the City Council at an early date. ■