Grandstand bites the dust
Crumbled concrete is all that remains of a historic grandstand at Blenheim’s A&P Park, prompting sadness for some but excitement for others about its replacement.
The deteriorating concrete and timber building had been unfit for purpose for years, closed to the public after the Marlborough District Council became concerned about its structural integrity following the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. It was demolished on Saturday.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga said the 1920s building should be preserved, but after both sides argued at a resource consent hearing, demolition was approved last April.
A&P Park neighbour Alec Black said he was very fond of the old grandstand, recalling a time when the A&P Show was the highlight of everyone’s social calendar.
‘‘And every single farmer’s wife used to produce cakes and things. People would absolutely fill this place. I feel sorry for the younger generation that they don’t have anything like that any more,’’ Black said, heading through the park with Tibetan spaniel Dude.
‘‘They’ve bowled a beautiful chunk of history.’’
Black played many football games at the park ‘‘50-odd years ago’’, and sunk about as many beers at the Alabama Hotel, which once stood at the park’s southwestern corner.
‘‘This was all country once, and you’d have all the farmers come down to the hotel. The last one in had to pay for the first round. Blenheim has lost a lot of its history lately ... These days they just annihilate everything, if it’s not modern then it’s gone. You watch, they will replace it with something that’s all concrete squares.’’
Blenheim man Adam Shatford was also saddened to see the demolition, testing his remote control car at the park.
‘‘I would have liked it to stay . . . it was very old though. It will be good if they replace it, as long as there’s somewhere to sit,’’ he said.
Retiree George Dight and former football referee Alan Newport both said they were sad to see the grandstand destroyed.
‘‘But it’s probably a good idea to replace it,’’ Newport said.
‘‘As long as it doesn’t end up like Lansdowne Park, they spent millions on that and we still never get any games.’’
Blenheim Canine Training Club secretary Jenny Everest said she was glad the grandstand was being removed. ‘‘It’s knackered, it’s got to go,’’ she said, as members trained for agility trials on March 8.
Treasurer Wendy Champion said the building was a hazard. ‘‘If we left it there and it came down on someone during a quake, think how you would feel afterwards.’’
While the brick fence, gates and sheep pens were to be preserved under conditions set by the commissioner, the club hoped the old pumphouse, south of their offices, would be removed to give them more space.
‘‘I think they should replace the whole market building. Then we can have more space under cover for when it rains,’’ Champion said.
Club member Mary Belsey, who previously manned a market stall, said the Marlborough Farmers’ Market would benefit from a covered area for rainy winter days, ‘‘where the tables aren’t surrounded by sheep poo’’.
‘‘They’ve bowled a beautiful chunk of history.’’ Alec Black A&P Park neighbour