Holiday attractions draw fewer people

Press, 31 December 1982, Page 6

Holiday attractions draw fewer people

Ludo, Monopoly, and trips to the Canterbury Museum seem to be the order of the day for Christchurch holidaymakers. Nearly all of the city’s holiday attractions reported a downturn in numbers during the last few days. Poor weather and gloomy skies appear to have driven even hardy tent-dwellers indoors. The Canterbury Museum is one of the few’ sightseeing, stops still attracting large numbers into its halls. Museum staff recorded a rise in numbers at the same time as the Christchurch Weather Office noticed a substantial drop in temperature. Until Tuesday, attendance figures were-up to the sea-

sonal average. The Queen Elizabeth II Park swimming pool is also benefiting from the rain. The park’s manager, Mr Peter Francis, said the pool had been “slightly busier” than last year over the holiday period. But Christchurch’s outdoor attractions are not faring so well. The Ferrymead Historic Park has had a considerable drop in attendances since Wednesday, although the director of the Ferrymead Trust, Mr D. R. Muir, said that considering the weather, crowds were “quite good.” ' Until Tuesday, attendance figures had been, at times, up 50 per cent on last year.

Mr Muir hopes that the weather will clear before the park's approaching carnival. The Willowbank Wildlife, Reserve has also noticed a drop in attendance after the popular Christmas period. Orana Park has had a downturn in attendance,, although staff have been surprised by the numbers who have braved the weather.

The park’s director. Mr P. R. Garland, said that Orana’s giraffes were a great draw and the park crowds on Monday and Tuesday ,had been “exceptional.” i. However, Christchurch's central-city pool, the Centennial Pool, has probably been the weather’s worst victim. Only 15 people;-’ braved its waters yesterday.