CITY RESERVES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 66, 11 December 1919, Page 12

CITY RESERVES

COUNCILLOR FROST REVIEWS THE YEAR'S WORK MANY IMPROVEMENTS AND EXTENSIONS As chairman of the Reserves Committee. Councillor G Frost has given an interesting sketch of tho work which has been done on the city's "lungs" during the mist vear. He was pleased to say that the Zoo at Newtown Park was, from more points than one, justifying its existence. Although tho weather had been far from propitious for a long time, there bad been registered a steady improvement in the revenue, each month showing an increase in receipts oil what tliey were last year. During tho twelve months now drawing to a close the Zoo had been provided' with a fine new entrance, complete with "in" and "out" turnstiles, and a central office for the gatekeeper. Outsido the Zoo grounds tho corner section, once an unsightly waste, had been eonverted into a very charming lawn and garden plot, veined with artistically curved paths, which set off the entrance to the Zoo mast attractively. Within several improvements had been made. Tlio roserv, which had proveo' an added attraction. and which was now a sceno of rare (loral beauty, had been slightly enlarged. and the paths had been surfaced with asphalt. Some of tho big overshadowing pine tree-s on the eastern bank had been felled, and (ho roses which bad been planted in their stead wore doing unexpectedly well. The bank near the entrance, formerly a bare, ugly clay hummock, had been trimmed down, and planted with (lowerin,!; shrubs, which were doing very well. Tlio spaco opposite it.was intended during next year to convert into a lawn with garden seats and flowe.r beds, and would make a neeo'od rest ground. Mr. M'Kenzio deserved a good deal of commendation for his lav-out of Hie littlo reserve outsido the gates, and Mr. J. Langridgo had done cood work within.

Bevond being kept in excellent order, no ne.w work of any moment, had l>een done, in Newtown Park itself. At tho Basin Reserve the exterior shrubbery hno' done remarkably well, and it was finite a nleasuro to take a willk round tho R-esorve to see the fine variety of flowering shrubs, which were now looking so well. Mr. Frost said that he was irlad to havo the opportunity of saying that little or no .damago to this unprotected shrubbery had been done by children. At one time it was thought that it. would bo almost impossible to preserve flowers and shrubs in Wellington that were not protected by a fence. The oxnerienco of the Basin Reserve proved that to be a fallacy. _Ho attributed it a sood oeal to Ihe training of tho children in the kindergarten and other adjacent schools It was indeed a hopeful sien. The Basin Reserve's playing area had never been used £0 frequently as was the case this year, and it was looking verv well indeed. Steps were now being taken to niovido a new grandstand in nluce of the old one, and ho hoped that would be accomplished during tho next financial vear.

At. tho Botanical Gardens the old unsightly buildings near the entrance walk had been removed, and tho placo planted with attractive flowering shrubs. On the eastern side of the entrance a lot of the bis pine trees had been felled, and the bank where they stood woula' shortly look ns picturesque us other parts of the gardens, which were much admired by all visitors. Plans had been prepared tor new entrance gates, aim had it not lieen for the acute shortago of labour these might have been erected ere now, but he hoped they would go up during the first liall' of next year, and so provide these beautiful gardens with a littinsr entrance.

No new work had been done at Anderson Park, but at Kelburn Park a new trwniet laivu an acre in extent was being ndded at the southern end. A further extension was also being maoe to the Kilbirnio Recreation Ground, where nearly the whole area defined for city purposes had been reclaimed. This ground was becoming increasingly popular foi -football and cricket. There had been somo additional planting done at Central Park, which was developing nicely. Stens were being taken now to provide caretakers' cottages on all the parks, and also at. the Berliamporo golf links. Plans were being prepared' and estimates got out for the work of extending the links from a nine-hole to an eighteen-hole course.

Gorso grubbing on the Town Belt had cost £10011 during the year, and there was still much to do. The new Lj-all Bav Reserve (of 121 acres) had come into use during tho year; and bado fair to become a valuable asset to the city.

At Island Bav Mr. Robertson, of the Happy Valley Station, had presented two acres ate a rest park, and it was hoped this valuable ano: timely gift would be mit into order during the coming year, Tho area was easily capable of development.

Tho Cit.v Council had recently acquired an acre of land near the Ngaio station for the purpose of municipal tennis courts, and bettveen Nsuio and Khiimlallah (at NairnvilleO a block of eleven .acres had been secured as provision for a big recreation ground for that part of the rapidly-growing city.