Council concern about Games

Press, 7 October 1987, Page 6

Council concern about Games

Christchurch City councillors are concerned that grants towards the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland might mean less money from Government sources for projects in the south.

The council has applied to the Hillary Commission of Recreation and Sport for $300,000 towards the

Canterbury softball com-

plex planned for Cuthberts Green. The Mayor of Christchurch, Sir Hamish Hay, warned yesterday that the city might have to negotiate for subsidies against grants being sought for facilities for the Games in Auckland. The $300,000 towards a regional facility was "modest” compared with amounts being sought by Auckland, he said. Christchurch would have to be

careful that grants to Auckland were not "unduly generous” at its expense. “I think some of the sums being asked for in Auckland are way out of proportion to what Christchurch got in 1974,” he said. The chairman of the parks and recreation committee, Cr Clive Cotton, who will soon meet the commission, said New Zealand did not stop at Auckland. Christchurch would have to “stick up” for its share. The softball complex would be an international one, he said.

Final designs for the complex will be presented to councillors at a special meeting of the committee on November 9. Preliminary plans were shown to councillors yesterday. They show a building with team dressing rooms, showers, umpires* rooms, stores, offices, a kitchen, lounge and committee room. The plan is for two fenced diamonds behind Cowles Stadium. Completion date for the complex is October 1 next year. The project is estimated to cost about $920,000.