COWLES STADIUM OPENED

Press, Volume C, Issue 29628, 26 September 1961, Page 19

COWLES STADIUM OPENED

“I do hope that all the people who use thia fine hull din? will remember the uurn who made It possible. the late Councillor W. X Cowles." said the Mayor (Mr G. Manning) when officially opening the Christchurch City Council* new indoor sports stadium at Cuthbert's Green last evening. The stadium, to be known as the W. J. Cowles Stadium, was planned by Mr Cowles when he was chairman of the council's reserve committee two years ago, and the buildin/ was completed this winter. Mr Cowles died last April. With other speakers. Mr Manning stressed the great amount of time which Mr Cowles had put into the planning of the hall while he was on the council.

“We are privileged to see the results of Mr Cowles' vision this evening," said Mr Manning. “It will always be available to the people of Christchurch, whereby the young people can find the opportunity to develop in healthy sports, in team spirit and in self-discipline.” Mr Manning compared the stadium to Lancaster Park and Wilding Park as one of the fine sporting facilities in Christchurch.

The present chairman of the City Council's reserve committee (Mr P. J. Skellerup) outlined the planning and building of the halt which was completed during his term of office. He paid tribute to Mr Cowles for the great energy which he had put- into his supervision of the project for seveal years. Mr Cowles' Guidance Nfr Cowles had guided the hall through its planning stages, and had seen the initial financial difficulties overcome, said Mr H. P. Smith, chairman of the City Council's finance committee. He also praised the great enthusiasm of Mr Cowles for the stadium.

Other speakers were Mr J. Mathison, member of Parliament for Avon; Mr F. R. Price. chairman of the Christchurch Drainage Board which owned the land at Cuthbert's Green; and Mr H C. Blazey, president of the Canterbury Amateur Sports

Federation, another body with which Mr Cowles was closely associated. After the speeches Mrs W J. Cowles unveiled a plaque which commemorates the work done for the stadium by her husband. Sports exhibitions were given by members of the Canterbury Amateur Sports Federation. Swimmers gave a display of calisthenics under the control of Messrs R. Luscombe and G. Elmsley. P. Moore, W. Campbell, G. Hobson, and L B. Roberts took part in wrestling demonstrations. B. Kendall and G. Bennett gave a boxing demonstration. Weight-lifting was demonstrated by F. le Flem, R. Day, M. Irvine, A. Hart, S. Crotty, and H. Henry, and fencing, basketball and judo were also demonstrated.