Fine New Facilities For Indoor Sport

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29008, 24 September 1959, Page 17

Fine New Facilities For Indoor Sport

'T’HE recent opening of several fine new indoor stadiums in the North Island gives emphasis to the general increase in popularity of indoor sports in the last few years in the Dominion. Although interest has increased at a similar pace in Christchurch, difficulties in finding Suitable playing areas for table tennis and badminton, in particular, threaten to limit the number of players who can be catered for in interdub competitions. The Y.M.C.A. gymnasium in Auckland is the Dominion's finest indoor stadium, according to reports from leading sportsmen who nave seen it recently. In addition, the new badminton hall in Wellington and the horticultural •ociety's hall in Lower Hutt also provide facilities far in advance of anything in Christchurch. An interesting feature of the financing of these halls is the very generous aid given by local bodies in the North Island centres. Council Helps

The new badminton hall in Wellington, for instance, cost £15,000. Of this amount no less than £lO,OOO was contributed by the Wellington City Council, and a further £3OOO came from the Government Badminton' support's, therefore, have .had to contribute only £2OOO towards this magnificent building, and it will be available to badminton players alone for six months of the year. The City Council gave the money as part of its far-sighted policy for assisting in the provision of more facilities for sporting bodies. This hall has tiered permanent seating for 400, and capacity to seat 1000 spectators. It was the venue of the North Island versus Australia badminton match in July. In addition to its contribution here, the Wellington City Council has also made a large Contribution in recent years towards improving the facilities for

tennis at the Central Park courts. The new horticultural hall in Lower Hutt will also receive much use from badminton players, although table tennis and other indoor sports will have their share of use of this building. This hall is believed to be eminently suitable for the playing of indoor tennis, with sufficient height for really high lobs, as well as plenty of room at the rear of the court. The North Island table tennis championships were played in this hall over Queen’s Birthday week-end. The cost of this hall was about £105,000. Rules The new Y.M.C.A. in Auckland is the showpiece of the city. Costing £158,000, the hall is not yet completely finished. It has a temporary wall at one end, allowing for possible extensions. It is also ideal for indoor tennis, and the American professional Tony Trabert said that it was as good as any indoor court he had seen. The lighting alone in the Auckland stadium cost between £4OOO and £5OOO. This includes 200 three-tube fluorescent lights, which normally cost more than £2O each. The lights have been specially installed to give an even spread, and measures have been taken to eliminate. flicker. The hall has galleries for spectators on three sides, 10ft above the floor level Folding seats are permanently attached to the side walls and can be pulled out to take 3000 people. Although badminton is played in this new Y.M.C.A. hall in Auckland, the Auckland Badminton Association is going ahead with plans for the erection of its own headquarters. The building is expected to cost about £ll,OOO, and the Auckland' City Council has again been generous, donating a central site for the hall, and £lOOO towards the cost of the building. •' V- "