Lancaster Park

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28080, 22 September 1956, Page 10

Lancaster Park

The Victory Park Board is planning further improvements to Lancaster Park estimated to give it an ultimate capacity of 80,000 persons, not far short of the capacity of large sports grounds overseas. It is to be hoped that this estimate is not based on the assumption that the ground now holds 50,000 spectators in reasonable conditions. The board, the Canterbury Rugby Union, and the police managed to get more than this number into the ground for the third test against the Springboks, and deserved their luck in avoiding mishap because of their notable efforts to improve crowd control after the earlier Canterbury match. But would the standards of crowding at Lancaster Park for the third test be permitted in a theatre? Can safety and deceficy be preserved when spectators stand for hours and no aisles are provided for their rescue or convenience? The provision of a few clear passages might not greatly reduce the ground’s capacity, because aisles would help spectators find vacant spaces. Even if this provision did mean room for a thousand or so fewer, it should still be made. Apparently no precise legal requirements such as govern theatres apply to sports grounds. In their absence controlling authorities and the police have a greater responsibility to ensure tolerable conditions; and this responsibility should be considered by the park board when it plans for the future. Improvements on the bank should come before the erection of new stands. While the board is about it, the standard and convenience of sanitary facilities might also be worth a thought.