Beautification plans underway

PLANNING is now underway by Manawatu District Council to enhance Feilding’s beauty even further by developing the town’s beautification strips alongside the North Island main trunk line.

Council recently purchased 17 of the strips from Government and Land Information New Zealand after leasing the land for many years (originally from New Zealand Rail) for reserve purposes.

Parks and Reserves Manager, Albert James, said the purchase meant council now had certainty in relation to what work it could do on the railway land corridor, which was virtually a “green belt” through Feilding.

“One of the main aims is to link a lot of our major parks with permanent cycleways and walkways using the corridor as a guide. It will be like a signposted green ribbon that will greatly enhance the presentation of the town.”

Mr James said cyclists and walkers, for example, could start at the top end of Makino Road and follow the cycle/walkway to Rimu Park, before moving across to Victoria Park, onto Makino Park and into the town centre.

“The green strips with their open vistas certainly have a calming influence and can take the tension out of the day as you use them or drive past.”

The addition of benches alongside the walkways and further plantings of chestnut and hazel trees would make the strips even more attractive for recreational activities.

Mr James said the measured walkways would also enable people to time themselves when they exercised and to check on how far they had walked.

“And it will certainly make a big difference for cyclists who will be able to ride down the green corridor into town instead of having to use the road,” he said.