All N.Z. seen as Olympics venue

Press, 31 January 1989, Page 1

All N.Z. seen as Olympics venue

By

KAY FORRESTER

A Christchurch City council* lor, Ron Wright, wants Christchurch to act as a catalyst for staging the Summer Olympics in New Zealand. Cr Wright believes New Zealand has the facilities to stage the Olympics in various venues. He suggests that rowing, for instance, could go to Lake Karapiro, with swimming and athletics in Christchurch.

“We have the facilities If we portion out the events {round the country. That gets the whole country involved” he said yesterday. f ; :? Cr Wright cited the /recent - rugby World Cup as {an example of what could bejdone if. efforts were ; co-ordinated. “Christchurch shduld. be the catalyst and make It happen,’* he said. “Let’s talk to Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington. Cr David Cox said the Olym-.

pic charter gives the Games to a city rather than a country. But Cr Wright said things could be changed. Other members of the coun- ■ cil’s property and promotion : committee were not so optimistic yesterday. “We might as well prepare for the Second Coming. It’s Just as likely to happen in Christchurch,” said Cr John Burn. Staging the Olympics was beyond New Zealand, he said.

“Look at . the problems in Auckland with something reasonably small like the Commonwealth Games.” Cr David Close agreed. “It’s a nice idea, but we have to be realistic.” Cr Cox and the Mayor, Sir Hamish Hay, believed there was merit in talking to Mr Bruce Ullrich, the manager of the Olympic team to Seoul, and the Hillary Commission about the idea.