Council Asked To Back Empire Games Move

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30576, 20 October 1964, Page 18

Council Asked To Back Empire Games Move

The Christchurch Qty Council was asked last evening to support the proposal to have the 1970 Commonwealth and Empire Games in Christchurch, and to commit itself to an annual expenditure of £50,000 or more for six years.

That was the estimate given by the facilities committee of the games promotion committee.

The promoting organisation said it appeared that with the help of various bodies and other organisations Christchurch should be able to provide sufficient facilities for the games to be run efficiently.

Amenities provided by local bodies in the next six years would be available for the ever-growing population of metropolitan Christchurch for generations to come. In its statement of practical requirements, the facilities committee said the two problem sports were athletics and swimming. Although an additional indoor stadium would undoubtedly be an attractive talking-point and something Games Promotion would very much wish to see,

since no hail could accommodate the 6000 who attended a boxing session in Vancouver, it was considered that sports other than field and track could be held in Christchurch.

Field Sports The problem with field sports, the committee said, was that a hard track would need to be laid down at least 12 months ahead if it was to be in condition for the games. At Lancaster Park or the Addington Show Grounds other fixtures would be disrupted for a considerable time. In both cases the track would have to be removed, at a write-off sum of approximately £20,000. The committee said there was a widespread desire among athletes for some centre in Christchurch with permanent and adequate facilities for track and field events. Queen Elizabeth II Park appeared to offer many advantages both for the immediate requirements of the games and its residual value. On swimming, the committee said the Centennial Pool I was too narrow and a trifle

short. Jellie Park’s pool lent itself to modification to a sixlane pool, and to spectator stands, but there was a disadvantage that much of the conrtruction would have to be written off. The Waltham Park Udo pool would require to be modified. “However, we are not overconcerned about the swimat this stage, we feel that we do not wish to go into detail at thiss tege, we feel that we can certainly provide swimming facilities which will be fully acceptable,” the committee continued.

Any claim that the city would be able to provide the facilities would be worthless unless the council gave an assurance that if the games were allocated to Canterbury the council would provide per-

manent athletic facilities and accommodation at Queen Elizabeth II Park, the committee said. While it would not be known until 1966 whether the games were coming to Canterbury, some immediate and visible effort would be convincing, perhaps decisive, evidence of the community’s effort to hold the games. Referred To Committees The council referred the request first to the reserves committee and then to the finance committee. “A lot of investigation will have to be made when a cost of £300,000 is estimated,” said the Mayor (Mr G. Manning). It was impossible at this stage to give any proper estimate, and it was better to name a larger sum than might ultimately be required, said Cr. H. P. Smith. The council also received a letter from the Wellington City Council asking Christchurch to join it and the Lower Hutt City Council in seeking financial support from the Government for the staging of the games in New Zealand.

After support by the Government, application would be made by interested councils to the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association for the games to be held in their region, the Wellington council said. The association would then make a recommendation to the parent body in London. In agreeing to support the application to the Government, the council said it was working actively to have the games staged in Christchurch.