Recreation and leisure

Press, 18 April 1979, Page 10

Recreation and leisure

A conference centre should be marketed on the best selling features of the area, according to the Manager of the South Canterbury Convention Bureau, based in Timaru, Mr David Hall. Recognising one’s strengths is vitally important in selling ones own particular town or city as a “Conference Centre,” he said. A recent survey to assess the social wellbeing of twenty-four metropolitan and provincial centres in New Zealand showed Timaru to be first in the rankings under the heading of “Recreation and Leisure.” This result is reflected in the large number of sporting events by way of South Island and even National championships held each year in Timaru. Timaru, being almost equidistant from Christchurch and Dunedin, has a great deal to offer conference delegates/participants in saving on travel costs particularly in these days of the energy crisis.

Star attraction for both indoor and outdoor sports is the Aorangi Park complex located in the western suburb of Gleniti. It is

already providing one of New Zealand’s most up-to-date indoor sports stadiums as well as twelve all weather netball courts and tennis courts. Stage 2 of the complex is now also well under way. This second stage will provide a sports bowl suitable for provincial level cricket as well as rugby and soccer. Adjacent to the sports bowl will be (a first for Timaru) an international size athletics track and field. Two bowling greens for the exclusive use of the South Canterbury Womens Bowling Centre, will complete Stage 2.

“It is somewhat misleading to think only of conferences in the narrow, sense and that is as a group of people coming together to sit and discuss matters in a business type? forum. At the South Canterbury Convention Bureau we regard all affinity groups as con-i stituting a ‘Conference’. Providing they are going to use a venue, indoors or out, require motel/hotel accommodation and transport, it is a ‘Conference’ in every sense of the; word,” said Mr Hall.