THE MUNICIPAL LIFE OF NORWICH 113 
civil aviation. The aerodrome, however, was not sufficiently level to 
qualify for an Air Ministry licence for a public aerodrome, and the 
Corporation were urged to undertake the work of levelling and to lay 
out a municipal airport. A scheme was prepared in 1930 and was 
approved by the Air Ministry. 
The Corporation were the more ready to carry out the scheme as it 
provided work for the unemployed of the city, and a grant towards its 
cost was obtained from the Unemployment Grants Committee. The 
site (205 acres in area), together with the hangars and existing buildings, 
was acquired and one of the hangars was converted into a club house for 
the Aero Club. The landing area was thoroughly levelled, and this pro- 
vided work for an average of forty-five men per week for eighty-two weeks. 
The aerodrome and hangars were leased to the Norfolk and Norwich 
Aero Club, and arrangements made for the Club to manage the airport 
on behalf of the Corporation. The airport was formally opened by 
H.R.H. The Prince of Wales on June 21, 1933. 
PARKS AND OPEN SPACES. 
Norwich has often been described as a city of gardens, and its area of 
nearly 8,000 acres is large in comparison with its population of 126,000. 
The percentage of open spaces is, in fact, high, and the Corporation have 
been particularly active in providing recreation grounds. Under Town 
Planning the area taken as an ideal for open spaces is 10 per cent. of the 
acreage, and in Norwich the area actually provided is just over g per cent. 
For every 178 of its population there is one acre of open space. 
The largest parks and open spaces in the city are Eaton Park, Waterloo 
Park, Earlham Park and Mousehold Heath. 
Generally speaking the Corporation, in the development of open 
spaces, have endeavoured as far as possible to satisfy the demands of 
those desiring to participate in any form of sport, and at the same time 
they have not forgotten the needs of the younger children, for whom 
children’s playgrounds have been provided. 
The work of the Parks and Gardens Committee also includes the up- 
keep of certain closed churchyards in the city, thus enhancing the beauty 
of the numerous medieval churches for which Norwich is famous. 
ALLOTMENTS. 
The total number of allotment gardens in the city is 3,370 comprising 
an acreage of 452 a.2 r. 27 p.; 2,070 of these are under the control of 
the Corporation on land which is either owned or leased by them. The 
Allotments Committee in conjunction with the Local Unemployed Welfare 
Committee have made a special effort to induce unemployed men of the 
City to take over plots for cultivation, and an area of 14 acres at Ipswich 
Road has been set apart for this purpose, special concessions in the matter 
of rent and supply of seeds and tools, etc., being granted under the pro- 
visions of the Agricultural Land (Utilisation) Act, 1931. 
Allotments in the mind of the public are rather associated with unsightly 
sheds, but the Corporation in the lay-out of their allotments have provided 
standardised huts for the use of the allotment holders, thus improving 
H 
