PUKEKURA SPORTSGROUND

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1930, Page 11

PUKEKURA SPORTSGROUND

LIGHTING THE RUNNING TRACK. COMMITTEE APPROVES SCHEME. A revised scheme of lighting Pukekura Park sportsground for night athletic meetings was submitted to the sportsground committee last night by the New Plymouth Athletic Club. After the proposal had been fully discussed the committee decided to approve, of the insinuation of the system, subject to satisfactory arrangements being made with the athletic club regarding upkeep, responsibility for electricity charges, etc., and subject also to the consent of the. Pukekura Park board. The scheme provides for an elliptical line of lights around the edge of the ground, the lights to be fixed in specially constructed shades and supported on bracket arms off 18 poles set 30 feet apart. The poles will probably be of railway iron painted green, the supporting arms 12 feet long, and the lights approximately 11 feet above the ground. The light fittings will be so designed and the scheme so arranged as to permit of ready removal with a minimum of trouble for the football season. Apart from any floodlights that may be provided it is proposed to use 42 lights of 1000 candle-power each.. The estimated cost of installation is £lOO, and the estimated cost of electricity per night about 14s. , ,

. In the original scheme it was proposed, in addition to . the equipment already referred. to. .to. have a row of lights suspended on , .a., .cable across the eastern side of the. ground and three floodlights of 3000. ,candle-power each, but these have been abandoned.

Those present . at-, the..,.meeting were Messrs. E. Jacksom..(chairman), F. J. Hill, F. S. Varnham, iN. Johnson,. D. F. C. Saxton and L. Little, (hon. secretary). On behalf of tlie cricket association, the only sporting body-/using the sportsground regularly .in the- summer apart from the athletic club;, Mr. Saxton explained that the association was strongup opposed to the suspension of anv line of lights across the ground. but was quite agreeable to the proposed system round the edge of the'ground providing the sportsground committee was satisfied it would not make , the ground unsightly or interfere ■ unduly with the vision of spectators on the terraces. > Owing to the fact that according to the plan submitted to the meeting by the athletic club the running track will pass across the cricket association’s practice wickets st the north end,of the ground Mr. Saxton suggested that a conference be held on the ground between representatives of the sportsground committee, cricket association and athletic club, with the object of trying to make some more satisfactory arrangement. On hisemotion the committee decided to cai-ry the suggestion into effect. •,

On the motion of Mr. Little the committee resolved to postpone until next year consideration of a request fi'om the athletic club for financial assistance towards the cost of installing the lighting system. The chairman pointed out that the committee was by no means strongly in funds, and all expenditure would have to bo carefully watched. It had to be borne in mind, also, that at present the only revenue during the summer half year camo from the cricket association, which paid £5O for the use. of tho ground as well as 15 per cent.‘ on all gate takings. The athletic club, was using the ground, free of charge, almost as much as the cricketers, And, it was to be hoped that the club would soon lie strong enough to contribute at least something towards tho upkeep of the ground. ... Mr. Varnham suggested that perhaps the lighting system might be of value to tho committee for use in other night functions besides athletic meetings. The general opinion, however, vms that such functions would be vpry few and far between, and partly owing to the unsuitability of tho Taranaki; icliiuate for night functions,. would <<-be?.<practically non revenue providing.