Sportsground Facilities That Need Improving

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 123, 26 May 1936, Page 8

Sportsground Facilities That Need Improving

DEPUTATION TO CITY COUNCIL “That a suitable fence be erected at the Sportsground; the provision of adequate grandstand and pavilion accommodation; a raised embankment for spectators round the oval; and flood-lighting round the oval for evening cycling and athletic meetings” were the principal requests put forward by a deputation which waited on the City Council last evening. After the various speakers had had their “say” tho Mayor promised that the council w r ould go into the representations that had been made. lie added that as a result of the storm and other unanticipated items, the council had been faced with an unexpected expenditure of between £6OOO and £7OOO and in regard to tho erection of a fence the council had already given consideration to tho matter. 110w r ever, he assured the deputation that if the council could meet the wishes of the sporting bodies, he was sure they would do bo. The deputation was representative of tho Manaawtu Cricket and Hockey Associations and the Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club, and the speakers Were Messrs W. G. Sutton and L. V. Winks (hockey), W. J. Wollctt and C. Stagpoole (cycling), and A. M. Ongley (cricket). Mr. AVoollett explained that at present there was no ground in Palmerston North on which could be staged a sports meeting. The erection of a suitable fence was tho first essential at the Sportsground but, m addition, the cycling club asked the council to consider the lighting of tho track so that tho popular elcetric-iight meetings could be held. Ho stated that Levin, Marton, Wanganui and New Plymouth had lighting systems installed and evening meetings were very popular In those centres. He submitted costs in connection with lighting for the track and suggested that it should not cost much more than £l4O to meet tho requirements at tho Sportsground. Mr. Stagpoole, speaking for tho West Coast and North Island centres, stated there were 14 alliliated clubs on the West Coast .and that Palmerston North was tho only place which could not hold a meeting. Ho added that Manawatu had been olfered the New Zealand and West Coast cycling championships, but had reluctantly been compelled to turn them down.

Mr. Sutton remarked that at present thero was only ono ground in Palmerston North which offered facilities for staging an important hockey fixture and that one was owned by tho A. and P. Association. Ho reminded tho council that considerable outlay was involved in arranging important matches and that the chief source of revenue to meet this expense was a gate charge. Until a fence was erected tho Sportsground could not bo utilised and it seemed wrong that there was not at least one city sports area which offered adequate grandstand and pavilion accommodation.

Endorsing the remarks of the previous speaker, Mr. AVinks urged tho provision of grandstand accommodation for from 1000 to .1500 people and the raising of the bank round tho oval to provide extra accommodation for people wishing to see an important match. He added that thero was every prospect of visits from overseas teams in the near future and that Palmerston North should bo in a position to extend invitations to them when they arrive. Mr. Ongley said tho Cricket Association was not asking tho council to spend more money but to save some. That instead of erecting a low brick fence, backed by shrubs, at the Sportsground, the council should erect a fence which would give adequate protection. He contended that such a fence would be cheaper than the more picturesque one, and claimed that the Sportsground—the only one of its kind in the city—should retain its identity as a sportsground. lu regard to the grandstand accommodation, he suggested that though it might not bo in keeping with a city the size of Palmerston North, it might be in keeping with the present finances of the council, ana could be increased at a later dale. Air. Ongley mentioned that it had been suggested thero was a possibility of the band contest being held in this centre in the near futuro and beforo this contest could be held at tho Sportsground it would bo necessary to provide the necessary facilities for collecting a gate. In conclusion, ho repeated that tho ground had been given to the city as a sportsground and that its identity as such should be retained.

In auswer to a question by Cr. W. B. Cameron, Mr. Woollett stated that the present cycling track, if a bit narrow, was quito all right. In answer to tho Mayor, he considered that £l5O would provide adequate lighting. In answer to tho Mayor, Mr. Stagpoole advanced tho opinion that elec-tric-light meetings were more popular than those held during the day. Maintenance More Costly.

Incidentally, it was decided last evening to inform the Manawatu Cricket Association that owing to the increase in the cost of maintaining the Sportsground, the council will in future be unable to forego the 10 per cent, in respect of gate charges.