Park could receive shield fever facelift

Press, 5 November 1983, Page 9

Park could receive shield fever facelift

The crowd-pulling appeal of Ranfurly Shield rugby could help to provide Lancaster Park with the biggest facelift in its long history. The Victory Park Board, which administers the ground, will soon consider an ambitious development plan which might cost up to $5 million.

This comes as a sequel to a board profit of $200,000, subject to audit, for the year ended September 30. The chairman . of the board, Mr David Gallop, yesterday declined to release details of the scheme, contained in a 30-page document prepared by the board’s consulting engineer and its. development subcommittee. ■Buthe said the board would study the proposals in the next two weeks and would be in a position soon

to announce long-term plans, to be proceeded with as money came to hand. “If the board accepts the scheme in total, we could be looking at a cost of about $5 million,” he said. “It has been a good year, and we intend to use the money wisely in improving the general amenities and the playing surface at the park. Our intention is to maintain the ground at a level which will ensure that major rugby and cricket is always played there.” Mr Gallop said that the playing surface had never been in better order; $lO,OOO had been spent on soil, seed, and fertiliser and the results spoke for themselves.

But the board was not complacent in its he said. One of its immediate tasks would be to study a survey by the New Zea-

land Soil Bureau which included drainage proposals. The board is also pushing ahead with a fresh membership plan, restricted to 1000 seats. The plan offers fiveyear memberships for $4OO, and has been in the hands of existing members for three weeks. Already 400 replies, with money, have been received, and a reminder will be sent to existing members by the end of the month. Applications will be accepted from the general public after December 15.

Mr Gallop said the board had continued to improve the high standard of facilities at the park, and had spent $30,000 on general maintenance during ■ the year. But he believed the over-all development of the park was preferable to the piecemeal replacement of the stands.