PLAYING GROUND

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 460, 18 February 1933, Page 6

PLAYING GROUND

MERITS AND VARIOUS SITES CAUSE BRISK DEBATE RIVAL ARGUMENTS At Thursday night's meeting of the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce, Mr. A. J. Canning introduced the much debated subject of providing a site in the town suitable for use as a children's playing area. The discussion that ensued, faithfully followed the arguments already adduced and was productive of' an accusation from Mr. R. W. Schofield that the Etarbour Board was not fulfilling its duty to the publie. Mr. Schofield held th%t the Har- : bour Board seemed content to take all the benefits and inerements that had accrued to their property through the expenditure. by the B orough Council of large sums on roading, electric light supply, water supply and other facilities and to give nothing in return. Though the board owned all the land on the foreshore, Mr. Schofield stated that it was their bounden duty,'in his opinion, to provide playing areas for the children of the town and districts. Further he claimed that such areas should not be provided on back streets., but sbould be whare the children can be seen by passers-by and should he at the entrance to the town. The question of the monetary value of the site should not hold sway with the board, their clear duty was to provide the. best and most suitable area regardless of its value. Harbour Board' s, Case Mr. G. A. Brabant rose to defend the Harbour Board's attitude in the matter and pointed out that the Harbour Board had lately had prepared a plan showing the proposed future development of the whole of its properties. This plan was on view at the board's office. Thereon several areas were set aside as public reserves and he earnestly requested anyone interested to view this plan and if they had any suggestions as to its improvement to offer, they could then submit these to the board for its consideration. As regarded the provision of a children's playing area, he stated that the majority of the membe.rs of fche board favoured a site adjacent to the winter show buildings. The outlook from there was infinitely better than that from the mud flats near the Borough Council Chamhers, the position was more open tothe sea, the reserve along the river bank would adjoin and altogether the. site was ideal as a playing area for children ■and as a'resting place for adults. Domain Favoured Mr. Brabant stated that whilst he agreed with his fellow Harbour Board members on all this, he personally felt that the Domain was the proper and most suitable place for a children's playing area. The domain was out of tbe general run of traffic, and with praetically unlimited space for parldng cars, would provide, at very little expense an ideal playground and luncheon place for country resi- : dents.

As regards the suggestion that the board was being mercenary in stipulating that the borough should spencl £50 a year for three yes.rs on any area granted, he pointed out that this was merely inserted in order to ensure that the area grantecl would be utilised immediately and not aceepted by the council and then held vacant indefinitely. In any case as the value of any area granted would be much greater than the sum the borough was being asked to provide, lie did not think that this should be used as an argument as to the merits of any of tbe sites proposed. "== Mr. W. G. Howat in agreeing with If Mr. Brabant's suggestion that the area should be away from the swamp adjoining the borough council ehambers and in speaking in favour of the winter show site, pointed out that the site for the proposed plunkefc and ladies" rest room was only a few chains away. Also, he stated, congestion of traffic was sure to follow if the area was laid out near the borough ehambers. The other area was nearer to the shopping centre and w'as much healthief. Mr. Canning stated that in view of the diversity of opinion expressed and also of the'fact that the two local bodies concernod did not appear to be at all unanimous on the subject, that it would be advisable for the Chamber of Commerce to, call a public meeting to discuss the whole mattex*. After it had been pointed out by Mr. Howat that a deputation from the Borough Council was to wait upon the Harbour Board at its next meeting, it was decided to leave the matter ovex" to the next meeting of the chamber and xneantime to ask the Harbour Board to display the plan of the proposed layout of their properties in some shop window in the town.