Wellington Mayor Justin Lester is targeting the Basin Reserve's "historic" Museum Stand, according to Collette Devlin of STUFF. The heritage-listed stand, which once contained the players' tea room, was opened on New Year's Day 1925, but has not been open to spectators since '12 "because it is earthquake-prone." Strengthening it "could cost up to" NZ$8M ($5.6M), but knocking it down is estimated to cost about NZ$800,000 ($559,900). After years of debate on its future, Wellington City Council is "aiming to make a decision by August." It is now clear what Lester and Deputy Mayor Paul Eagle "prefer." Lester said, "It's going to be a very expensive option to have it strengthened and restored, and I'm not sure that can be achieved." But "padding up to defend the mayor's bouncers" is the Save the Basin Campaign, whose previous efforts to protect the historic ground "helped to stop the Basin flyover in its tracks." Cricket Wellington, the Basin Reserve Trust and Wellington City Council are all "keen" to finish off a NZ$21M ($14.7M) masterplan to upgrade the cricket ground (STUFF, 4/19).
