Empire Games Venue

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31047, 30 April 1966, Page 11

Empire Games Venue

'THE decision of Common- '*■ wealth and Empire Games Promotion, Canterbury, to hold the swimming events in a specially constructed pool at Lancaster Park is, if a little startling, fully justified. It has been estimated that the cost of bringing the facilities and spectator accommodation at the Centennial Pool up to the required standard would be £250,000 an amount which was quite reasonably considered beyond the resources of Christchurch. A sum of £30,000, of which it is estimated that 90 per cent is recoverable, will be spent in erecting the temporary pool. The pool will be built in front of Nos. 1 and 2 stands. It will comprise eight lanes, each eight feet wide, with splash areas beyond the outside lanes. This meets the full international requirements of (1) length, 55 yards; (2) Width of lanes, Bft; (3) a desirable splash area to minimise the wake effects in the outside lanes. Filtration and heating to a constant temperature of 74 degrees Farenheit will be introduced. The centre of each lane will be clearly marked to guide competitors and the lane markings will, stop 10 feet from each end of tlie pool to indicate to swimmers that they are coming to the end. The construction of this pool will probably be delayed for some time, even if Christchurch succeeds

in getting the games. This will allow the introduction of electric timing or the introduction of metric distances. The depth of the pool will be from 3ft to 3ft 6in and it will have eight starting blocks 2ft 6in high. Containers for the competitors’ clothes will be provided behind each starting block. Nine lanes, each 55 yards long, will be provided in either plastic tubing or polystyene and backstroke pennants will be of plastic or nylon lines. There is sufficient dressing room accommodation for at least 140 competitors at Lancaster Park, and a firstaid room with full medical facilities. Warm-up facilities will be provided by using the main pool. The programme will be divided to allow two-warm-up periods for competitors. Lancaster Park has an estimated capacity of slightly more than 60,000. This would give a

greater spectator accommodation than has ever been provided for the swimming at any previous Games. This pool has one final value as far as Christchurch is concerned. After the Games it is hoped to uplift the pool and set it down as a permanent amenity elsewhere is the city. This could only be of benefit to Canterbury swimming. The diving events would be held at the present Centennial Pool. The pool fully meets the international requirements for both three-metre springboard diving and tower diving. These are:— Springboard. Depth of water, 3.5 metres; distance in front, 6.2 metres; distance on each side, 2.7 metres. Tower. Five metres: Depth of water, 3.8 metres; distance in front, 7.0 metres; distance on each side, 3.0 metres. 10 metres: Depth of water, 4.5 metres; distance in front, 10.5 metres; distance on each side, 3.0 metres. For the Games, a wateragitation system using compressed air would be used to ruffle the water and assist the divers in sighting the water surface. The Centennial Pool has a spectator capacity of 900 at present, but additional seating could be erected to raise the capacity to 1900. Like Lancaster Park, there is sufficient dressing room space available for all competitors.