Wilding Park's Fine Facilities

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29713, 5 January 1962, Page 7

Wilding Park's Fine Facilities

WILDING PARK, with its 22 hard courts and 26 grass courts, including the two centre courts, gives Canterbury players and followers of tennis facilities for playing and watching that are unequalled in New Zealand and bettered only in a few places elsewhere. Leading players from overseas have been high in their praise of this tennis centre; Christchurch citizens recognise it as a civic asset.

Established by years of hard work. Wilding Park was first mooted before World War I when administrators felt the need for the association having its own courts and efforts were made to secure financial support. It was not till 1922, however. that a special committee was appointed to consider ways and means of providing a “home" ground which, with the great influx of players after the war, had become a necessity. Members of this committee, convened by Mr R. Browning, included such well-known tennis names of the time as W. N. Seay, Wm. Goss, E. J. Taylor, P. R. Harman, G. L. Berry, L. J. Taylor, and E. F. Chapman.

The first business of this committee was to enlist the co-operation of affiliated clubs and although, on the whole, they did assist materially it was mainly as a result of Mr J. H. Kirk’s offer of £BOO, subsequently increased to £lOOO, that the initial stages of establishing Wilding Park were accomplished. Several areas in various parts of the city were inspected before the final choice was made of the Woodham road area, a rectangular block of 10 acres with two sections giving access to Woodham road. At the time of acquiring this property the accumulated fund of the association was about £lOO. To make a payment of £l5O as a deposit Mr Kirk advanced this sum.

A sum of at least £4OOO was needed to enable the land to be surveyed, graded and drained, before laying a number of hard courts. The support for the scheme from a big number of players, enthusiasts and business firms enabled the amount to be secured and within 18 months of the purchase of the property a contract had been let for the construction of 14 asphalt courts and fencing. A most profitable venture was undertaken by the association and the Canterbury Cricket Association when they organised a monster art union to raise funds for their respective sports. A half share of the net proceeds was almost £ 10,COO. With that the association was able to provide another eight hard courts and 26 grass courts, including two stadium courts. Foresight

The foresight of the president at the time, Mr W. N. Seay, was mainly responsible for the attractive way in which the park has been laid out, including the planting of trees. The progress made in completing the area, including the building of the concrete pavilion and the tiered seating around the centre courts, exceeded expectations. Named after New Zealand's greatest player, Anthony F. Wilding, who was killed in World War I, the park soon became the pride of all tennis supporters in the province. There were times during the depression years when it was thought of as an expensive luxury, and when clubs with dwindling memberships felt the association’s ground was competing with them. But those days did not last and now its advantages to clubs, players and spectators are fully realised. The centre court seating was rebuilt in 1946 and about that time a plan was also drawn up for a memorial

stand to players who died in World War 11. With bequests and gifts from some noted tennis followers and various money-raising schemes, this £6OOO stand was completed in 1955 and opened at the Canterbury championships of that year by the then Prime Minister (Mr Holland).