Official opening of Wellington's new ASB Centre draws 15,000 people
More than 15,000 people had visited the new ASB Sports Centre at Kilbirnie by the time the doors closed at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon. The Sports Centre's Manager, Craig Hutchings, described the day as a "stunning success" and said the many
thousands of people - young and old alike - went away enthused by the level of sporting facilities on offer and the
range of sports that can be played in the $47 million Centre. "We are highly confident that the opening of the ASB
Centre is going to provide a huge boost to a number of sporting codes in the city and that it will do what it's designed
to do - get Wellingtonians active, involved, fit and healthy."
Craig says any fears that the opening of the ASB Centre would cause traffic congestion in Kilbirnie and the eastern
suburbs proved unfounded. "We saw that traffic on Cobham Drive and around the Centre flowed freely all day - it was
really no different to any other Saturday. Thousands of people took advantage of our free shuttle buses, or walked or
biked to the ASB Centre. We were incredibly pleased with the way the day played out."
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