Deluge of protests

Press, 8 December 1988, Page 48

Deluge of protests

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Increase rates and councillors can expect murmurs of protest from residents, but insult a sporting hero and you stir up a hornet’s nest, as some Christchurch City councillors discovered yesterday.

A recommendation from the council’s parks and recreation committee to establish a “Walk of Fame” at Queen Elizabeth II Park, which would not include Dick Tayler, the 1974 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, brought a deluge of protests yesterday. The “Walk of Fame,” promoted by Cr David Cox, is to include only sportsmen and sportswomen who perform outstanding deeds from 1988 onwards.

Tayler provided one of the great moments in New Zealand sport, a moment that is synonymous with Q.E.11 Park, when he won the 10,000 m at the Commonwealth Games in 1974.

The thought of a “Walk

of Fame” not including Tayler is apparently an enigma to more than Cr Charles Manning, the only member of the parks and recreation committee to vote against the proposal on Tuesday evening, to include sports, people from 1988 onwards. Cr Clive Cotton, the chairman of the parks and recreation committee, said he had tremendous admiration for Tayler.

“I was there. I saw him win that gold medal in 1974 and the memory of it will remain with me for eternity. He was a tremendous athlete and helped to make those Games. He is also a humanitarian for which I admire him.”

But, Cr Cotton said if the council made the “Walk of Fame” retrospective it would be “fraught with headaches.” “How do you compare performances of 15 years ago with performances of today. I could probably think of 20 people worthy of inclusion from the last 15 years.” Cr Cotton admitted that

choosing people for the “Walk” would be difficult enough anyway. Distinguishing between those who compete as individuals and those who compete in teams sports would provide problems. Tayler, and other heroes of the 1974 Games including Jaynie Parkhouse and Mark Treffers, already have their feats recognised at Q.E. II as roads around the park complex are named after them. The selection criteria for the “Walk of Fame” has not been finalised said Cr Cotton, except that those elected would be from Canterbury. Whether Tayler would qualify on that point could be an issue. He is a native of the Canterbury province, having spent most of his life in South Canterbury. The “Walk” has still to be approved by the full council, and the parks and recreation committee’s recommendation could be overturned or amended by the full council on December 19.