EMPIRE GAMES VENUE Cycling

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30998, 2 March 1966, Page 15

EMPIRE GAMES VENUE Cycling

ALTHOUGH English Park has been the home of Canterbury cycling for many years and has been used to hold several international contests, a lot of work will have to be done before it is up to the standard required for the 1970 Commonwealth and Empire Games. This has already been recognised and the Christchurch City Council has already budgeted £30,000 on Park amenities. This will go a long way towards bringing the Park up to the required standard. The Park is only two miles from Cathedral Square and is owned by the Christchurch City Council. It has an asphalt track for cycling which will be regraded and resurfaced for the Games. The outer level of the banking will be raised a further 12 inches to give a greater angle. Twelve inches is considered to be the maximum level at which the safety fence will still meet the safety precautions yet not obstruct the spectators’ view. Although the track Is at present 445 yards in circumference, this will be reduced to 440 yards after the other alterations have been made. A new amenities block was completed a few months ago: providing a conference room, changing rooms, lavatories and offices. Additional facilities for massaging and preparation rooms of a temporary nature could be erected specially for the Games.

Most of the warming-up at cycling meetings is now done in the grass centre of

This is the fifth of eleven articles on the venues of the recommended and alternative sports for the 1970 Common, wealth and Empire Games Promotion, Canterbury. Application, lodged by the Commonwealth and Empire Games.

the track used and a® English Park has a full-size soccer field in the middle this should provide no problem. Equipment such as judges’ stands, lap-scoring, warning bells and starting pistols, is already' available and the Canterbury Ski Association will make available its electronic timing equipment.

Floodlighting is already available and will be improved considerably. Already the Park has held its estimated capacity of 10.000 and when the City Council’s alterations are complete there will be seating for a further 1500. The west bank will be cleared and extended at each end to provide standing room for a further 7000.

Parking is unlikely to be a problem although the Park’s own car park is small. The grounds of the adjacent St Albans School will hold 300 cars while Malvern and St. Albans Parks will hold a further 800 cars. On-street parking should cater for another 1000 cars. The 120-mile road race will be held over a six mile and a half course in Christchurch itself—involving 181 circuits of the course. Of this course. IJ-2 miles is up and down hill while the rest is fiat.

It has been suggested the course be along Colombo street to Dyers Pass road to Hackthorne road, right down Hackthorne road to Cashmere road, left into Barrington street and along Rose street, Hoon Hay road, Lincoln road, Barrington street. Somerfield street and back to Colombo street This course involves a rise of 330 feet in one mile and. as this must be undertaken at least 18 times, the course should provide a real test of stamina as well as speed.

If Christchurch gets the games, there can be no doubt as to its ability to stage the cycling races in a manner fitting to occasion.