What was the legacy of the Christchurch Commonwealth Games?
By Lee Kenny:
Talk of Christchurch stepping in to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games has rekindled memories of when the Garden City staged the event almost 50 years ago.
Mayor Phil Mauger says the tournament should be brought to Canterbury but other city leaders disagree - read the full story about that in The Press.
So what was the legacy of the tenth British Commonwealth Games, held in Christchurch from January 24 to February 2, 1974?
The tournament saw 1276 athletes from 38 countries take part in 121 medal events. They stayed in the student accommodation at University of Canterbury.
In June 1974, The Press published that the Christchurch City Council had blown its budget, with one of the largest contributors being the overspend on the QEII, which cost five times the initial $20,300 cost.
The final bill was $101,821 ($1.3m today).
However, the sports facility needed a major upgrade 26 years later after falling into disrepair.
Speaking in 1999, council staff said that the construction of the pool and stadium had been rushed to ensure completion for the Games.
“The low quality of finish, and lack of maintenance over the intervening years, had left the building in poor repair. Several health and safety risks had been identified,” The Press reported at the time.
In 2000, work began on the site’s $20.7 million revamp but just over a decade later, it was announced the whole QEII Park and complex would be demolished.
News reports in April 2012 confirmed the site would be knocked down, having been closed since the February 22 earthquake the year before.
A new facility - Taiora: QEII Recreation and Sport Centre - opened on part of the site in May 2018 at a cost of $38.6m.
Other Christchurch venues for the 1974 games included Cowles Stadium in Aranui and Woolston Working Men’s Club which staged the bowls' tournament.
The Town Hall hosted weightlifting and wrestling. Road cyclists raced around Cashmere, Beckenham and Huntsbury, and the shooting was split between West Melton, Yaldhurst and McLeans Island.
During the Games, New Zealand won a total of 35 medals (nine gold, eight silver and 18 bronze), compared to last year’s Commonwealth Games (Birmingham 2022) when Kiwi athletes brought home a medal haul of 49.
Poll: How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?
Hi Neighbours
Here at The Doctors we would love to hear how you prefer to book your doctor’s appointments. With busy schedules, different people find different methods easier.
For some, online booking is very convenient, you can make an appointment anytime without needing to wait on the phone. Others still prefer calling the clinic and speaking to a real person, especially if they have specific questions about their visit.
Your feedback helps us understand what works best for our patients and how we can improve access to care.
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27.6% I prefer booking online whenever possible
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41.4% Online booking is helpful but not essential
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27.6% I prefer calling the clinic
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3.4% I didn’t know online booking was available
A reminder this hunting season
As thousands of hunters are making their plans for autumn – the Roar – recreational firearms groups are urging hunters to always be 100% sure of their targets.
Te Tari Pureke - Firearms Safety Authority NZ, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of Rule #4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.
Director Communities and Corporate, Mike McIlraith, says there is an estimated 50,000-60,000 New Zealanders involved in big game animal hunting each year, and the Roar is the key event for many hunters each year.
“The Roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece, still must be the most important goal of every trip,” says Mike McIlraith.
“The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic. Our message to hunters is a really simple one: If you are not sure, then don’t shoot.”
Mike McIlraith says while hunting fatalities are thankfully rare, research has shown that misidentification of the target is the largest firearms related risk to New Zealand deer hunters, and 80% of the time this involves members of the same hunting group.
The Authority says hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot: “Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.”
Mike McIlraith says good hunters will slow down, and run through some simple mental checks:
- Can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?
- Where are my hunting companions – could this be them or someone else?
- How much of the animal can you see, if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how - many points does its antlers have?
“Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting. No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,” he says.
Poll: Does a savoury scone require cheese on top, or folded inside?
Help settle the great kiwi debate ... cheese on top, or folded inside?
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76.4% Inside!
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23.6% On top!
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