Growth Of Lancaster Park Amenities

Press, Volume C, Issue 29626, 23 September 1961, Page 5

Growth Of Lancaster Park Amenities

“Since the board was constituted there has been steady pressure to improve Lancaster Park amenities and recently this pressure has accelerated, said the chairman of the Victory Park Board (Mr H. C. Blazey), speaking at a function at which representatives of organisations connected with the park were entertained. “During the seven years I have been a member of the board, £79.000 has been spent on building new stands, £32.000 on extending the embankment, and £18.500 on sundry permanent improvements acquiring additional land,” said Mr Blazey. “Ibis totals about £130.000. but it has given us much extra accommodation for spectators, so it has been money well spent.

“Profits over the seven years have amounted to £29.000, thanks largely to the Rugby tours of the Springboks in 1956 and the British Lions in 1959. The board’s resources, therefore, were quite inadequate for its programme. which was achieved by turning to other sources of income. “The first was the launching of a 25-year membership scheme, which realised £45,000. The balance came through loans from the Can-

terbury Rugby Football Union and the New Zealand union amounting to about £42.000. At the last balance date, the assets of the board were a little more than £5OOO.

“At present we are planning to demolish the No. two stand and to extend the No. one stand as far as No. three. This will give about 1200 extra covered seats and will be assisted by a further loan from the New Zealand union through the Canterbury union, and by a new membership scheme which is almost fully subscribed. We hope to have the new stand completed during the next football season,” added Mr Blazey.