Duke to open park

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33230, 21 May 1973, Page 1

Duke to open park

The Duke of Edinburgh will officially open the Commonwealth Games complex at Queen Elizabeth II Park on October 13.

A brief announcement was made by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr N. G. Pickering) at the civic luncheon in honour of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Japan on Saturday.

| He had just been told by the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) lof the Duke’s consent to open the buildings. Mr Pickering said last evening that he was sure that everyone would be delighted that the Duke of Edinburgh would officially open the complex. It was appropriate in that he was president of the Commonwealth Games Federation and would also be attending the Games in Christchurch a few months after the opening. “The day is a Saturday and we want to make it a gala occasion for Christchurch, and particularly to involve the schools and children,” Mr Pickering said. “There has been no definite planning yet because we received confirmation only on Saturday, but it looks as though the ceremony will take place about 10.30 a.m. We will be on to the planning straight away.” Mr Pickering began negotiations when he first heard that the Duke would be coming to Christchurch for four [days in October to preside 'at the Royal Agricultural [Societies of the Commonwealth, of which he is president.

Mr Pickering first had to get an assurance from the consulting engineer and the contractors that the buildings would be at the stage where they could be opened. Next came negotiations

with the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand, after which an invitation went to the Duke through the New Zealand Government.

Mr Pickering said that the Christchurch City Council would share the cost of the visit with the Royal Agricultural Society, whose cooperation he was grateful for —as it had earlier been said that because the Duke would preside at all sessions of the agricultural societies’ conference, it would be impossible for him to attend any other functions.