FOUNTAIN AND SPRINKLER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 166, 31 July 1937, Page 4

FOUNTAIN AND SPRINKLER

Something New in Watering Sports-Grounds EXHIBITION AT PARK Something new in water retaculation of a sports-ground has been deeided upon by the Hastings Borough Council to meet the reauirements of Cornwall Park. The scheme evolved, in addition to being a most efficient and eeonomical one, possesses the additional attribute of being- spectacular, and for this reason may be considered as another attraction for this already wellequipped playground. An inspection of the scheme as developed to date was made yesterday by the Mayor, Mr G. A. Maddison, and members of the Borough Council, in eompany with the works engineer, Mr C. E. Evans, and the superintendent of reserves, Mr J. G.-C. Mackenzie, and so impressed and enthusiastic were they with the arrangement that it was deeided to provide the townspeople •With an opportunity of seeing the watering scheme in action to-morrow afternoon. From the purely utilitarian aspect the introduction of a number of speeial sprinklers, so placed as to have the minmum of overlap of their sprays, will assure the sports-area of an abundant supply of water. In the past it has not been poesible adequateiy to water this ground, which is the headquarters of the Hastings Cricket Sub-Association during the summer months, but if the completion of the scheme is agreed upon there need be no further eause for dissatisfaction in this regard. At present only a part of the comprehensive scheme which has been designed has been completed. Some 24 Bprinklers, each capable of spraying a eircie of tnrf with a diameter of about 70 feet, have been so placed as to givo a complete coverage to a very sub.slant'ial portion of the sports-area. The complete scheme provides for 66 sprinklers and a full coverage of the whole of the sports-ground, The output for each eprinkler is abont four gallons of water a minute, or'240 gallons an hour, pumjied from the stream now flowing through Cornwall Park. An interesting feature is that when the sprinkler is not in use it is no longer visible above the surfaee of the playing area. Consequently dt does not cause any obstruction to players. It merely reeedes into the ground autqmatically with the shutting ofl! of the4 pressure. Ope of the big problems with other sprinlders is the need for more or less constant attention, for they have to be moved about j but with those now installcd there is no longer need for this supervision ahd,a big saving in maintenance costs is anticipated. The initial outlay is practically the only cost of fhe scheme, which for efficiency and expediency is believed to be the only one of its type in the Southern Hemfflsphere. Those who had the opportunity of ' seeing the new system given a trial yesterday were astonished in more ways than one. They readily aceepted its value from the utilitarian aspect but in addition were greatly impressed with the poesobilities of the scheme from the viewpoint of the speetacular. With the 24 Bprinklers all in action a splendid fountain was created and nnbounded enthusiasm was aroused. Each sprinkler has two sprays, one slightly longer than the other, and the effect of all 48 sprays shedding the water , like raindrope was quite beyond anything that had been anticipated. "Why, it's a fountain as well," was one exclamation, and another suggested that "some lights should be put in,-" A third observer visualised the sprinklers sending forth their sprays with hundreds of youngeters, attired in bathing coatumes, gleefully playing at "shower baths" duting the height of the hot summer weather. To enable the citizens to see the scheme for themselves it has been' arranged that the sprinklers will be put into operation to-morrow afternoon from 3.30 o'clock during the time the Hastings Citizens ' Band will be giving an open-air recdtal.