Westminster Sports :: WSI :: Westminster Street, Mairehau

To see photos of the inaugural Community Sports day Click Here

07/02/2011 Updated 31/03/2011
January 24 - 27 saw 29 youth involved in a variety of sports including athletics, basketball, judo, kick boxing, football, lacrosse, AFL, korfball and rock climbing over four days as part of the “Break Away School Holiday Programme” . The programme which was held at Mairehau High School and Papanui Youth Centre (climbing wall) proved to be a great success as experts including top level coaches, NZ representative and ex Olympians took the time out to demonstrate their passion to the youth. Westminster Sports will be looking run a similar programme in the April school holidays.

April Programme Tuesday the 26th through till Friday the 29th of April. To see a registration form click here.

To see images from the January programme click here

Canterbury Cobras Championship Coup

The Canterbury Cobras have taken out this year’s NZAFL National Provincial Championship after a hard-fought win over the Auckland Buccaneers at Westminster Park over Labour Weekend. The Cobras were in control for most of the final, initially jumping out to a 21-0 lead courtesy of three unanswered goals to Matt Rushton (2) and Zac Williams before the Buccaneers fought back to make it a nine point game by halftime. However, two goals to leading tournament point scorer Jesse Burgess saw the Cobras pull away and take out the title 5.9 (39) to 4.4 (28).

Earlier the Canterbury team had easily accounted for the Waikato Thunder with an 8.9 (57) to 1.1 (7) trouncing before lifting their game even higher in humiliating the defending champions Wellington 14.8 (92) to 0.8 (8).

The tournament was a huge success for the hosts and this was reflected in the selection of Steve Howard, Jared Court, Matt Crighton, Andrew Howison, Justin Clark and Sam Dickson for the New Zealand squad who will take part in the Oceania Tournament to be played in Auckland from the 11th to the 17th of November.

As well as the NPC, Westminster Park was also host to two international matches as the Victorian Amateur U18 side took on the U20 New Zealand Hawks over the long weekend. The Australian amateurs, hailing from the heart of AFL territory proved to be too strong for the NZ team beating them twice over the weekend. On Saturday the NZ team went close going down by just four goals, however the second game was a more one sided affair with the Victorians blowing out to a 12.14 (86) to 7.4 (46) victory. This was despite the young New Zealanders being just a point down at half time and displaying a far better all round performance than in their first game.

To see images from the weekend's action click here

Have a Go Day- 10/10/10

Sunday the 10th of October Westminster Sports had their inaugural "Have a Go Day". With seven different sports on offer including touch, lacrosse, AFL, football, korfball, squash and judo it was a fun day for all those involved. Special thanks to Shirley Papanui Community Board for providing funds to enable this event to happen. Click here to see the photos from the day.

Organisations asked about potential use of planned community facility

Preliminary artwork from architects Warren & Mahoney

Community organisations in St Albans, Mairehau, Shirley and Papanui are being asked what use they might make of a planned new multi-purpose indoor sport and recreation facility on Westminster Park.

Eddie Cropley is chief executive of Westminster Sports Incorporated, the 2,500 member multi-code sports club that is progressing plans for the proposed facility. He said expressions of interest were sought from community groups that might want to use it.

“Plans are proceeding well, but we would like to hear from anyone who might use the complex. It is likely to be here for at least 50 years, and we would like to work out what to include as the design is in preparation, rather than find out after the facility is built that we might have included this or that extra feature to increase its value to the individuals and community groups using it,” he said.

“Westminster Sports have been working with several consultants and developed further some initial concepts” said Eddie Cropley, but there is still plenty of scope to include other ways to maximise community benefit from the facility.

“We have had numerous discussions with many other groups and organisations, sports administrators, sports and recreational training providers, the performing arts and schools, along with the sporting clubs that are already a part of Westminster Sports.

“We believe we can build a facility that will play an important part in local community life for several decades. However, to be totally confident about that, we would like to hear from any community organisation we have not already spoken to that may find a use for the facility we intend to build,” he said.

An independent feasibility study completed for Westminster Sport in August indicated that a multi-purpose indoor sport and recreation facility on Westminster Park would be a viable project that would contribute valuable sporting services to many groups within the various diverse communities it is likely to serve. Based on what the study found, the most appropriate configuration for indoor sport would be a minimum of a three - court stadium, with supporting office and administration services.

According to the study, additional configuration of a dedicated dojo - three matted area, for martial arts also appears feasible, which would be a first for the city, catering for the many disciplines that make up the martial arts that have not yet been able to develop a collective facility in Christchurch. A childcare facility, fitness gym, physio and multi purpose rooms are also part of the plans.

Yvonne Palmer, Board Chairperson said “The Shirley/Papanui Community Board supports the proposal for this wonderful multi-purpose sports complex and sees the project as an exciting opportunity for our community organisations."

Westminster Sports Incorporated is an umbrella organisation for eight different clubs, including Christchurch Football Club, Western AFC, Christchurch Football Club Squash, Christchurch Football Club Netball, Canterbury Judo Area Association, Canterbury Lacrosse, Canterbury AFL and Westminster Korfball Club.

Further information:
Eddie Cropley
Chief Executive, Westminster Sports Incorporated
Tel: 385 1984, 027 234 8784
Email: westsports@xtra.co.nz




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