TENTH OLYMPIAD

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1931, Page 3

TENTH OLYMPIAD

LOS ANGELES PREPARES "HOST TO THE WORLD.” For many months now Los Angeles ha|s been preparing for the Tenth Olympiad, to be held in the Pacific Coast city from July 30 to August 14, 1932. There in that period of just over a fortnight, representatives of the nations of the world will be at play, and Los Angeles, in characteristic fashion, has plans well ahead for a, lavisli reception to the world. In point of fact, Los Angeles has been preparing for these Games not for months, but really ftpr several years, and if necessary, with the facilities that had already been provided could have staged the Olympiad six lninths after the meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Berlin, Germany, last May. It will thus be seen that preparations for the 1932 Games will eh n 6 rush job.

ON PACIFIC SHORES. It was in 1920, when the Games were being held at Antwerp, Belgium that an invitation to stage the next Olympiad in California was made to the International Olympic Committee by Mr W. M. Garland, the United States representative, on behalf of California's Government, athletic and civic bodies. But the 1924 ana

1928 Games had already been awarded to Paris and Amsterdam respectively, and the International Olympic Committee replied that the next available year was 1932, for which several countries for some time had been bidding. In 1923 at the meeting of the International Committee in Rome, the United States was selected as the nation to which would he given tbGame s of the Tenth Olympiad. Mr Garland thereupon suggested that a city on the shores of the Pacific be selected, as never in the history of Olympism had great international event been held near these waters. He moved that Los Angeles he selected, and the recommendation met with unanimous approval. Having been chosen to play host to the world, as it were, Los Angeles, with a full realisation of its trust, has lost little time in preparing the stage. Considerable sums of money were made available. The State of California voted 1,000,000 dollars, and Los Angeles 1,250j000 dollars more. In the same year as the Games were awarded to Los Angeles a great coliseum was built, and in this great stadium,, which has been improved and enlarged, will be held the athletis events (triiek and field), gymnas-’ tics, horse-jumping events, field hockey, opening and , closing ceremonies, and the finish of the marathon and road cycling races.

HUGE STADIUM BUILT. Plans, for the improvements to the Coliseum, .. . which will., be known...as Olympic Stadium during the Games, provided for the increasing, of tin.' seating capacity from 75,000 to 105.000 numbered seats, the construction of .a promenade entirely around the stadium, the installation of offices for committees, officials and juries, and the construction of adequate facilities for Press representatives and the sport technical department. All facilities for the events to be held in the are expected to be completed a year be.ore the opening ceremonies. The track is being improved and will be well seasoned before the opening date. Since 1923 many outstanding athletic events have been held in the stadium and in these contests many of the world’s leading athletes he- r ticipated. It is situated in Olympic Park with the fine arts museum swim

ming stadium; and the fencing pavilion. Olympic Park is near the centre of the business district of Los Angeles and is accessible from all parts of the city. 1 "OLYMPIC VILLAGE.” The improvements to the coliseum is only one of the big tasks that have been undertaken. One of‘the biggest problems facing the organising committee was where and how to house the different teams that will-he competing at the games. This difficulty was solved bv a decision to build an

"Olympic Village,” upon the construction of which work has-been started. The village is to consist of large-size bungalows with modern improvements a central dining-hall, a central lounge and an information bureau.

'Hie rowing events :are to be decided at Long Reach, which i.s about an hour distant from the stadium, and here a channel is to he dredged to acccommodate four to eight racing shells over the full Olympic course of 2000 metres —about a mile and a quarter. There will he accommodation along the sloping banks of tin’s course for 100,000, and a reviewing stand at the finish willseat 10,000.

BIG SWIMMING POOL. Plans for the swimming stadium were drawn in accordance with Olympic requirements, and recent fadvice from New York-was that a start was to be made immediately with its, construction. The pool itself will .he 50

metres (164 ft) in length, 20 metres (65ft) in width, and will vary! in depth from 1.5-metres (4ft lli.ii.')' to 5 metres (16ft. sin.). The. equipment will consist of a regulation international diving tower, with both wood and steel diving hoards. The water to be used will be from the

fresh water supply of the city, and modern filtration and purification equipment will he installed. ; The granstands will have a seating capacity of 10,000 people, and ample dressing rooms, lounges, offices, and other facilities will he provided. Of reinforced concrete construction, the stadium is to remain after the games for permanent usage.

AN AFFAIR. OF AMERICA. Not only Lo.s Angeles, but the whole of America is behind the games of the Xth Olympiad. They are being regarded in the light of an affair of the United States, and it is the desire of the American Olympic Committee that the games should be the greatest ever held. At past Olympiads New Zealand has been represented by a select few, hut plans are under way in the Dominion to ensure that full advantage is taken of the fine opportunity the next games present of this country making a hotter showing, both, in numerifial strength and performance. The seelction of Los Angeles as the. playground of the nations lias brought the games nearer to New Zealand than they have ever been before. There is also another advantage—the climatic, conditions of sunny California. Finance has always been the big handicap in the past, hut it is Hoped that on this occ'ilsion a worthy response will be made by the public to the appeal for funds at present being made by way of the Big Windfall Art Union.