Breathing new life into our parks

GATEWAY:A new sign at Churchill Park, one of the least known parks in Masterton. PHOTOS/ANDREW BONALLACK

Attempts to give one of Masterton's lesser known parks a higher profile has gone a step further with a new sign being erected at Churchill Park at the town's southern end.

Late last year the park - named in honour of Sir Winston Churchill - became home to a cluster of award-winning Pacific Glory roses donated by one of the country's leading rose breeders Rob Somerfield, of Tauranga.

Now the under-utilised park has a prominent sign aimed at attracting the attention of passers-by who, it is hoped by Masterton District Council, may be encouraged to call in and use the park to greater advantage than is now the case.

The council's Parks and Open Spaces chairman Gary Caffell said it was his group's aim to see the park, one of the most beautiful in the district, better used.

Wairarapa archivist Gareth Winter has researched the history of the park, determining the land was bought by the Masterton Borough Council in 1885, at the time of the breaking up of the Manaia Estate by the Donald Family.

It was used as a gravel pit and when that was exhausted it became a rubbish tip.

The land was advertised for tender in 1940 but didn't sell and a decade later, when there was substantial housing development in Masterton, the borough council was lobbied to provide more recreational facilities.

In 1964 it was agreed a playground should be built there and the land was transferred to the Parks Department.

Early the next year the reserve was named Churchill Memorial Playground in honour of Sir Winston Churchill who had recently died.

The playground was never to be built as most of the children expected to use it would have come from housing areas on the west side of High St and it was feared crossing the road would be unsafe.

The Wairarapa Rose Society wrote to the council suggesting the reserve could be used as a rose garden and the first plantings were made in 1972 but the park has never really captured public attention.

Also back in business are the information signs above the old redwood stump in Queen Elizabeth Park.

The signs, on the inside perimeter of the rotunda which covers the stump, are a timeline of events in the district, and beyond, during the life of the tree, which had been one of the park's original plantings.

They were taken down some time back because of vandalism.

Mr Caffell said people may also be interested to know a " public gathering" is planned to discuss the future of Queen Elizabeth Park's bird aviary.

He said no date has yet been set for the meeting but that it is generally thought something needs to be done with the aviary.

"One option is to get rid of the aviary entirely and others are to improve and enhance it."

Mr Caffell said the meeting would not be confined to talking only about the future of the aviary but will be part of a meeting called to explain plans for the park island.

It is proposed to take out several trees on the island which have decayed, stump them and generally tidy up the island before establishing a children's garden and picnic area.

A working group has been set up including members of the Miniature Train Society, POST group, district council officers and Mr Winter.

"The idea of this project is to complement what we already have at Kids Own," Mr Caffell said.