| BUILDINGS & FACILITIES |
YEAR: 1968
 |
| W F Stark |
Major lighting improvements that will cost an estimated $40,000 are to be carried out at Addington Raceway. The chaiman of Addington Raceway Ltd (Mr W F Stark) has announced that the directors, together with the committees of the Canterbury Park, New Brighton and NZ Metropolitan Trotting Clubs have decided that major improvements should be made to the track lighting at Addington Raceway.
The new track lighting installation, it is claimed, will make Addington Raceway among the top night trotting tracks of the world. The track is illuminated by clusters of floodlights positioned around the track at intervals of approximately 200 feet. Covering the front straight are six clusters of 25 floodlights each on poles 80 feet high, while the bends and back straight are covered by floodlights on 60 foot poles, three clusters of 21 floodlights on each bend and five clusters of 17 floodlights in the back straight.
The new scheme envisages the use of a recently developed lamp - the Multi-Vapour lamp. Three hundred and forty-three 1,000-watt lamps will replace the existing 1500-watt incandescent lamps. It is anticipated that the new lamps, while of a lower wattage, will give some three times more light than at present. Another advantage of the Multi-Vapour lamp is that, as well as giving greater efficiency, it has a life at least six times longer than the incandescent lamp.
Neeco Wholesalers Ltd have been entrusted with the planning of the new installation and this project, which it is estimated will cost over $40,000, will provide patrons with a better view of the racing, and the clear white light from the new lamps will make colours much more easily distinguishable. This installation, it is considered, will make Addington Raceway by far 'the brightest spot in Christchurch'. Parking areas and the areas around the stands are floodlit by 187 1500-watt incandescent lamps and it is not proposed to make any alteration to the ancillary lighting.
Addington Raceway is reputed to be the largest floodlit area in the Southern Hemisphere. The power supply is brought in on two feeder lines of 11,000 each, and the installation is so planned that if one line fails, half the lighting only will be affected. In the event of a total power failure the emergency stand-by plant, installed some years ago as a safety measure, supplies one 1500-watt lamp on each of the 17 poles and this will prevent a total blackout of the race track.
It is hoped that the new lighting installation will be completed prior to the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Easter Meeting, which starts on March 22, 1969, but this is dependent upon the arrival of the lamps and other equipment in time.
The new lighting will, at night meetings, ensure the success of the Video Tape Film Patrol which has been installed in the interests of patrons. The increased light level will improve the quality of the taped picture which has greatly assisted the stipendiary stewards who can review the running of the race immediately after the finish. A high quality picture will in future be available at both day and night meetings.
Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 13Nov68
YEAR: 1994
 |
| Some of the trenching for the lighting cables. |
Work is well underway on the $1.4 million new lighting system for the track at Addington Raceway.
Mr Jack Hartley, chairman of the Raceway directors, says the system will be ready in time for the 1995 Inter-Dominion Championships. "The track will require 417 floodlights spread over 16 existing poles as well as using the roof of the members and stewards grandstand," he said.
The floodlights are being supplied by Versalux using General Electric 1500 watt metal halide floodlights. The work involves all the underground cabling being replaced and two new substations being installed. The average illuminance on the track will be five times greater than the current light level and at over 1200 lux, higher than any other track in New Zealand or Australia.
"There is a significant Canterbury involvement in the project which will boost the local economy by over $1 millon," said Hartley.
Credit: NZ HRWeekly 20Apr94