Cuthberts Green could have softball park

Press, 3 September 1986, Page 7

Cuthberts Green could have softball park

Cuthberts Green could be the headquarters for Canterbury softball instead of Hansen Park in Opawa. The Christchurch City Council’s parks and recreation committee wants to knaw more about using Cuthberts Green for softball, but developing grounds there, on Christchurch Drainage Board land, might cost $1.04 million.

People living in Opawa have objected to Hansen Park’s being used for softball because they say they had been promised a “quiet park.” Using Hansen Park as a softball headquarters would mean more noise and traffic, residents’ representatives, Mrs Ann Lewis and Mr Ivan Thompson, told the committee yesterday. They said they were not opposed to sports but to one sport having exclusive

use of the park. They foresaw the park’s being entirely closed off for tournaments. An interim report from the director of parks and recreation, Mr Neiel Drain, estimated the costs of developing the Cuthberts Green land at $1.04 million. The land did not belong to the council and would have to be considerably developed before it could be used for softball, he

said. The costs of development included an enclosed diamond. The committee called for a further report on using the land, and a formal approach to the Drainage Board about tenure and purchase.

A recommendation of the chairman, Cr John Burn, that Cuthberts Green was not an option was rejected by the committee.