New Chatham Island sports stadium opens

Press, 19 February 1988, Page 4

New Chatham Island sports stadium opens

More than six years of fund-raising by Chatham Island people has been rewarded with the opening of a new sports statium at the Norman Kirk Memorial Reserve. The stadium, which cost about $300,000, has a squash court, a lounge, a jockeys’ room, an announcer’s block, a jockeys’ block, an ablution block and a grandstand.

A new netball court has been laid next to the stadium to cater for the six Island teams.

A rugby ground is inside the race track at the reserve. With a population of 550 people, raising the necessary funds has been a mammoth effort. The project was initiaated by Mr George Crack, who with his wife, Ursula, managed the hotel on Chatham Island. The couple have returned to live in Rangiora. Mr Crack, who attended the opening, said that seeing the completed stadium was like a “dream come

true.” Fund-raising was an ongoing process, one of the most successful projects being a queen carnival which raised $30,000 in 79 days. The funds were given a boost with a $43,000 lottery grant, but there is still a shortfall of about $40,000, which it is hoped may be taken up by the Government. The stadium was opened by Mr Phillip Kirk, a son of the late Prime Minister. Mr Kirk is manager of an advertis-

ing agency in Wellington. The opening was also attended by the Minister of Recreation and Sport, Mr Tapsell, and the Minister of Revenue, Mr de Cleene.

Chatham Island netball enthusiasts were given a great thrill by the visit of the New Zealand captain, Leigh Gibbs.

During fund-raising visits were made by such sports personalities as Brian Lochore, Lois Muir, and Susan Devoy.