OHINEMURI JOCKEY CLUB

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4796, 7 January 1925, Page 2

OHINEMURI JOCKEY CLUB

RACECOURSE IMPROVEMENTS. WORK BEING CARRIED OUT. A transformation scene is at present being enacted at the Ohinemuri Jockey Club’s property on Thames Ro.ui, Paeroa. For some years the club, realising the growing popularity ami increasing attendances at its annual race meetings, has contemplated an extensive scheme of improvements, but it was not until towards the close of last year that finances permitted the work to be undertaken. A visit to the property at present would be a revelation to anyone who was familiar with the place a ’few months ago. The most striking improvement has been carried out at the main entrance. Here the old fences and hedge have been removed and a new line of frontage adopted. For a distance of 240 feet along the Thames Road frontage a 7ft cyclone wire-net-ting fence, with a concrete base of 9in and fastened to 2in galvanised piping, is now in course of erection. Into this fence are being placed two 9ft footpath entrances for pedestrians and four 9ft. entrances for vehicular traffic. A half-moon wooden and iron fence leads from the fence proper into the gateways, and handsomely designed ferro-concrete posts carry each sweep gate. The footpaths leading from Thames Road into the ticket boxes are each 15ft wide, and a 36ft roadway, increased in width at intervals, is provided for vehicular traffic. Vehicles will now enter the grounds by any of the four gateways, and after depositing the passengers at vantage pionts on the lawn near the site of. the new ticket boxes, will continue along the circular drive past the caretaker’s residence into Raroa Road, near the racing stables. The congestion of traffic that has'always occurred outside the entrance in .the past will now be eliminated. Inside the main entrance turf patrons will required to pass through one of seven of the Easdaile selfreg istering turnstiles into the grandstand enclosure. At the rear of the grandstand, near where, private cars were parked previously, the ground has been levelled and sown down in grusts. The conveniences at the rear of the stand will be removed and new ones erected some distance from the present site. Inside the main entrance on either side of the drive and footpaths lawns have been put down, and the grass is coining away well at present. A large number of quaintly shaped flowerbeds have also been constructed and planted with seasonal va fifties of flowers. The whole of the ptontmg and caring for the flowerbeds has been undertaken by Mrs Engine Show, and when k is t.iat 150 dozen seedlin??, comprising ct ; ~sias, asters, phlox African mari-g-j petunias, and other flowers have been put in, the extent of the work can be better gauged. The plans, etc., for laying out the grounds were prepared by Mr A. Hill, superintendent of Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland. -

Mr Eugene Shaw, the club’s caretaker, under whose guidance the decorative scheme and improvements are being carried out, says that it is the intention of the club io make the gardens and lawns a feature of Paeroa. “In fact, we are aiming at a miniature Ellerslie,” he concluded. On the course proper a desirable improvement has been given effect to. Near the seven furlong post going out of the strait the racing track has been banked up considerably with a decided lean in towards the rails. To carry out this work about 200,000 cubic yards of soil were used. The whole area has been rolled into consolidation and sown in grass. This corner, hitherto regarded as rather a dangerous one, is now not only made as sate as possible, but the extra width at the turn should reduce the possibility of accidents to a minimumEach of the barriers on the course are now over a chain in width, which allows of twenty horses being started abreast in each race.

The outside grandstand, which has obstructed those on. the lawn from viewing the horses entering the strait, has been moved back a chain and raised an additional five feet. A roof has been added to the structure, and the seating accommodation will hold 4'50 persons. The interior of the stand has been renovated and a ladies’ cloakroom and all modern conveniences provided underneath. The whole of this work, together with the main fence and other outbuildings, has been carried out by Mr W. M. Chamberlain. Paeroa, and the thoroughness displayed reflects high credit on himThe Jockey Club is sparing no effort to cater adequately for the public ami to provide- every possible comfort and convenience. The total cost of tlie improvements is estimated to be in the vicinity of £lBOO, and the members are to be congratulated on their enterprise and initiative. The value of the improvements cannot be too highly estimated, as, apart from increasing the popularity, of the two days’ annual meeting, the town will receive a good advertisement from the outside public.