COST OF LINCOLN SPORTS STADIUM £90,000

Press, Issue 31095, 25 June 1966, Page 11

COST OF LINCOLN SPORTS STADIUM £90,000

U’OSTS for the projected .sports stadium at Lincoln College have sky-rocketed by £74,000 since estimates were first drawn up in 1962, and the estimates now stand

at £92,000. The changes made to the original plan of the stadium are the main cause for the astronomical rise in the estimated costs.

In 1962 the cost was estimated to be about £19,000 which was in itself an ambitious undertaking. However, a new building committee was formed and its estimates rose to £30,000. After further deliberation the costs rose to £42,000 and remained at that figure until the beginning of 1965 when the present student union committee was formed. After consultation with Mr A. S. Lewis, the sports education officer at the University of Canterbury, it was hoped that a building based on the Hull University sports centre could be erected for £60,000. But not until the project had been costed out again this year was it realised that the centre would cost about £90,000. However, a major step forward was taken this

month with the final approval of the plans and their submission to the University Grants Committee, The plans have been inspected by a quantity surveyor.

If a favourable subsidy is received from the U.G.C. the students’ association will at once draw up working plans and call for tenders. At the present time the association

holds £IB,OOO and this figure should have reached £30,000 by 1970. This will leave £60,000 outstanding and the U.G.C. is unlikely to supply it all, so the association may have to raise a mortgage, using the projected building and the assured income from future generations of students as the security. The projected stadium will be used by 800 students but will also be able to cater for 4000 students. This is because it will have to cater for many different sports, including a basketball court and also because any addition in the future will have to be done entirely at the cost of the students. No subsidy Is granted for additions to a building which was partly built on a government grant. So, although £90,000 is a huge sum to find, it is to

Lincoln College’s advantage to find it Facilities in the projected stadium will Include: — Main sports hall, which is a full basketball court size. This can be used to play simultaneously either four games of badminton, or two games of badminton and a basketball practice, or two basketball practices, or one game of basketball. Agilities room. Weight training room. Small gymnasium on second floor with room for two games of badminton. Two squash rackets courts, courts. Spectator gallery for both halls which can also be used for table tennis.

This stadium as it is taking shape owes a great deal to the work and expertise of Mr Lewis who made a world tour last year to study gymnasia to plan a new gymnasium at the University of Canterbury. Without the information he made available to Lincoln College, matters would not be as satisfactory as they are.