Canterbury Court Will Have Fine Facilities-

Press, Volume C, Issue 29509, 10 May 1961, Page 13

Canterbury Court Will Have Fine Facilities-

CANTERBURY is likely to become the hub of roller skating activities in New Zealand with the forthcoming establishment of Canterbury Court as headquarters of the Canterbury Roller Skating Club. Constructed jointly by the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association and the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, the building, which is now nearing completion, will have spaciousness, excellent diffused lighting, and a striking exterior design. These features should help to make it attractive for a wide variety of exhibitions, fairs, sports events, and large-scale gatherings. Good progress is being made with the laying of 26.000 square feet of reinforced concrete flooring at Canterbury Court which will make it the finest roller skating area in New Zealand. The floor will provide a roller skating area of about 180 by 110 and the Canterbury Roller Skating Club is busy prefabricating seating to accommodate about 2000. There will be dressing sheds and amenities which will help to make Canterbury Court ideal for a number of sports, including basketball, table tennis and indoor bowls. The fine finish to the floor will make it suitable for dancing and the design of the hall, with its unusual inter-folded castellated roof will provide suitable acoustic properties when the building is used for concerts. The new floor will contribute importantly to the facilit_es when the building is offi-

cially opened on August 17 for the New Zealand Industries Fair. The floor, which has been designed by a Christchurch structural engineer, Mr W. J. Lovell-Smith, will have a specially hardened surface containing metal filings which has proved an ideal surface for skating in a number of notable concrete rinks overseas. The Roller Skating Club has a strong team of helpers prefabricating accommodation fittings so that the skating floor can be opened by Queen’s Birthday week-end. The club plans to have about 600 pairs of skates in firstclass condition by opening time. The skates and amenities will cost about £2OOO. Highlight of the forthcoming roller skating season in New Zealand will take place at Canterbury Court when the Pacific area championships will be held there, beginning on January 30. Top skaters from Hawaii and the United States will take part at the meeting, which will attract leading skaters from throughout New Zealand. The architect for the building was Mr P. J. Bea ven. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT D. G. STAPP: (1) According to figures taken out in Australia Caduceus's stake earnings reached £lOO,OOO when he was second in a race at Yonkers Raceway, New York, a fortnight ago. (2) France drew with England, 3-3, beat Scotland 13-3, Wales 8-6 and Ireland 15-3.