LANCASTER PARK.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17811, 10 July 1923, Page 5

LANCASTER PARK.

GRANDSTAND ACCOMMODATION. ESTIMATES TO BE OBTAINED. The increasing popularity of Rugby football this year has resulted in the grandjtand accommodation at Lancaster Park proving inadequate; consequently the Rugby Union has lost considerable revenue, for the reason that spectators who cannot get to a match in time to secure a seat, and who object to standing on the embankment, have no recourse but to remain away. With a view to taking steps to meet the position thus created, members of tho Lancaster Park Board of Control - met on the ground yesterday. There were present:—Mr S. F. Wilson (chairman), and Messrs A. Dey, R. B. Ward, F. Wilding, C. P. Agar, A. E. McPhail, W. Simpson, and J. O. McGillivray (secretary). Mr Wilding assured the meeting that it had no power to mortgage the ground with a view to raising the money required to pay for any improvement which might be decided on. Mr Agar said that the question of ways and means could be dealt with later. It might be possible to mortgage portion of the takings. Meanwhile, however, the meeting should decide as to the best plan of improving the accommodation. The chairman stated that two sites hud been suggested for a. new stand. One was in the north-west corner of the ground, which would, of course, encroach on the present standing accommodation, and the other was on that of the present stand, if having been suggested that another storey be added to the latter stand. Mr Agar said he thought that the cost of the latter scheme would involve about £20,000. The chairman: 1 don't think it would cost as much as that. He added that perhaps the top storey could be put up first, the matter of improving the present portion of the stand being held over. Mr Ward said he was of the opinion that a stand erected on the north-west corner of the ground would be most advantageous, so far as cricket was concerned. The chairman said that the present stand would not last much longer. The iron roof was showing signs of wear. One had only to look down on it from the,adjoining stand to realise this. Mr Agar suggested that concrete supports should be put down in the old stand in such positions 4 as would not interfere with the present accommodation. The chairman: My idea is to put the stand right out to the fence, with a deep grade, entrance to the stand being obtained from the back. Mr Agar said that if this proposal was adopted it would be possible to go ahead with the improvement of the lower portion of the stand at any future time. Mr I>ey: The addition would provide for another 2500 people. The chairman: Personally, I think it would be a mistake to build a stand at the north-west corner. Mr Ward: In years to come we will have stands all round the ground. Mr Agar moved that the BoafJ should get estimates of a proposed stand to be built pver the top of. the present eastern stand. This was seconded by Mr Dey. Mr McPhail moved as an amendment that the estimates should be in respect of a stand on either of the suggested sites. Mr Ward seconded the amendment. Mr Dey said that the Board had to look at the matter from the point of view of revenue. The east side of the ground was the best position for a stand. The Board should aim to increase the accommodation 4 of the ground; therefore it must not encroach .on the embankment. The motion was carried, and a committee, consisting of the Ground Committee (Messrs Dey, Ward, and Mimpson), together with the chairman and M. - Agar ; was appointed to confer with the architects. The party then moved from the eastern to the western side of the ground, to inspect the embankment. The chairman said that at present .the ground was filled when there was an attendance of 12,000. In Wellington, ha understood there was accommodation for about 21,000 spectators; and Dunedin could also accommodate a far greater attendance at the Carisbrook ground that Lancaster Park could hold. He mentioned that three test matches would be played in the Dominion thia season, one each at Dunedin, Christchurch. and Wellington. If Christchurch was to get test matches in the future'it would be necessary to provide more accommodation. It would, of course, be too late to improve the position during the present season. To provide for an increased attendance of spectators, who did not use the stands it would be necessary to give more space on the embankment, without encroaching on the hockey ground immediately behind it. It was stated that the grade of the embankment on the Carisbrook ground was 7in in 2ft 2in. and in order to ascertain the facts of the.case the secretary., was requested to write to the Rugby Union at Dunedin. The chairman said, in. conclusion, ichat members, having inspected 6ha ground and discussed the position, would be better able to deal with th» matter of accommodation when it came up at subsequent meetings. It was stated during the inspection that the present grandstand accommodation was about 2000, but that if the proposal to put'a two-decker standi was carried out, and the whole stand deepened and extended at each end, it would ultimately hold about 5000 spectators.