ENGLISH PARK

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23948, 15 May 1943, Page 4

ENGLISH PARK

PURCHASE BY CITY COUNCIL FORMER ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL GROUND English Park has been bought by the Christchurch City Council. Making this announcement yesterday, the Mayor (Mr E. H, Andrews) said that probably a great deal would not be done to the ground until the end of the war. It would probably not be added to the city's reserves but kept as freehold properly to give the council freedom of action in its development as a sports stadium in whatever way was considered desirable after the war. English Park, which has been the home of Association football in Canterbury for almost 40 years, has an area of six and three-quarter acres and has entrances from Cranford street, where there is a tram stop, School road, and Trafalgar street. On the Cranford street frontage there is an area which could be used as a children’s playground without interfering with the main ground on the other side of a small stream. There is a banked, asphalt cycle track, outdoor lighting for the ground, and extensive stands. The Canterbury Football Association in recent years has found it impossible to meet its heavy commitments on the ground, and towards the end of last year negotiations were opened with the Government to take it over as one of the areas it might need for the development of its physical welfare scheme after the war. The property was also put up for auction, but no bid was made for it. After the Government had declined to buy the park, an approach was made to the City Council, and the negotiations were completed this week. It was considered that the park should be owned by a public body and so retained for the use of citizens. The park was bought by the Canterbury Football Association in July, 1914, with Mr R. English, after whom it was named, as the moving spirit in arranging financial matters. The ground was a rubbish dump but was developed by working bees. Since then many important games have been played on it, including matches in which Australian, Chinese, and Canadian teams took part. The English and Sydney University Rugby League teams also played on the park. In 1923 there was a new development in the use of the park when the North Canterbury centre of the New Zealand Athletic, Cycling, and Axemen's Union was given permission to make a cinder cycling track round the ground. Shortly afterwards the English Park Stadium Company was formed. The track was asphalted and lit and stands were built. In the next few years some of the world's leading athletes appeared on the ground. The biggest event was the race in which Randolph Rose beat Lloyd Hahn to establish a world’s record for a mile on a grass track. More than 10,000 persons paid for admission that day and many more "gate-crashed.” Two other fine runners who met on the ground were Lynch Cooper, Australia, at that time professional sprint running champion of the world, and Don McLennan, a New Zealander. A professional halfmile running record for the world was established on another occasion by J. D. Fitt, Melbourne. The most notable of the cycling stars who raced on the track were Phil O’Shea, Harry Horder, Willie Spencer, Hubert Opperman, Jack Fitzgerald, and Harry Watson. The sale of the park was negotiated through Ford and Hadficld, Ltd.