Q.E. II Park debate has simmered for eight years

Press, 9 October 1979, Page 23

Q.E. II Park debate has simmered for eight years

By

GEOFF MEIN

Debate about the value ot Queen Elizabeth II Park at a recent Christchurch City Council meeting brought back memories of the controversy surrounding the siting of the Commonwealth Games venue eight ye.’.rs ago. The siting of the athletics stadium and swimming pool for the 1974 Commonwealth Games ,n Christchurch became one of the two big issues in 'he 1971 local-body elections. The other vas a proposed road through North Hagley Park. The most popular of numerous proposals suggested by the Citizens’ Association — which held the majority of seats on the council before the election — was to use the Centenni.d Park pool for swimming, and to build an at letics stadi im at Porr:tt Park, near Kerr's Reach. The estimated cost at the time was S 3 million. Labour Party candidates planned to build a comnlex at Queen Elizabeth II Park which would include swimming and athletics facilities. The cost of the combined centre was estimated at 53.8 million. Labour’s mayoral candidate. Mr N G. Pic' ring, made it quite clear in the weeks leading up to the election that the Games venue would be decided

by the outcome of the election. Labour won with a slender election-night ntajori ; of 10-9, although this was later increased to 11-8 by a recount. Mr Pickering promptlyannounced that the Queen Elizabeth II Park proposal would go ahead The chairman of the < ommonwealth Games Organising Committee (Sir Ronald Scott) called an urgent meeting to discuss th. "most desirable and economic venue." He questioned whether he people of Christchurch warned to spend nearly $4 million on Queen Elizabeth II Park rather than $3 million on the Citizen s Association proposal, which he thought would have been sufficient. “The very fine concept proposed for Queen Elizabeth Il Park would provide facilities that were considerably larger and more costly than was necessary." Sir Ronald said. Cr P D. Dunbar (Citizens) said that the Lab nr councillors must “search their consciences in asking Christchurch to pay si million more for a scheme which no-one concerned with the Games really considered necessary." Although many expected the issue to sink in.o oblivion after the eiectme, it remained the most debated topic in Chris'church for some time. Pe-t-ions for and against th-.-Queen Elizabeth II Park

proposal were started by various interested parties Labour councillors maintained that they hud been given a clear mandate by the Christchurch public in the election and stood firm with their proposal. A compromise proposal was suggested by the leader of the Citizens’ councillors (Mr H. G. Hay). His plan was to improve the Centennial Poo: for the swimming, and proceed with building -be athletics stadium at Queen Elizabeth II Park. It was not acceptable to the Labour councillors, who refused to budge from their original proposal. "Provided the Local Authorities Loans Bovd sanctions the loan we seek for the construction of the complex, nothing can stop us." Mr Pickering said. At a heated meeting of the council, one councillor called for an end to the "sour grapes which has been so obvious since the election.” Adding fuel to the fire throughout the debate was the deadline for beginning construction which, if delayed, threatened to have the Games moved to another city, or country. The chairman of the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Mr C. 1.. S. Cross) expressed concern about the “never-ending series of political squabbles."

One day after the $3.89 million loan had been approved by the Local Authorities Loans Board. Mr Pickering announced that the complex would be financed by the Christchurch City Council out of rates. He said the move had been '‘forced on the council in order to save the good name of Christchurch and New Zealand." Cr Hay pi „mpt>y Ebelled the proposal as "one of t’ne most irresponsible suggestions ever made in the history of local bodies in Christchurch." Refusing to budge. Mr Pickering said that the Citizens' proposal would have left Christchurch with a "rehashed. 20-year-old tepid pool, and an athletics ground surrounded by a smelly drain." Although there appeared to be much opposition to the Queen Elizabeth II Park proposal, as indicated by the numerous petitions. public meetings, and demonstrations, the Labour councillors maintained that they had been given a mandate by the people at the election and that they were going to abide by it. W i t h the Commonwealth Games behind us. it seems that the debate about whether the park complex is a national asset or a white elephant continues.