Mayor's Message: Centre Celebrations

We celebrated 50 years of the Trafalgar Centre this month. There was a brief cake cutting and celebration, fittingly held during half-time at the first game of our legendary Giants’ 2023 season.

The Trafalgar Centre has been the home of the Giants, the longest-surviving NZ National Basketball League team, for so long that the history of the two are synonymous. The Centre hosts about 70 different events a year, but the Giants have been the longest and most frequent user.

Construction of the Trafalgar Centre in the early 1970s was a key milestone in our city’s development. The effort involved over more than a decade to plan, fundraise and build this facility is worth recounting. It was originally intended for Trafalgar Park but the location was switched to Rutherford Park in 1969. The project jumped in cost from $300,000 to $400,000. A storm in 1970, even more devastating than our severe weather event in August, delayed construction as the recovery work took precedence.

The official opening in early 1973 involved a week of celebrations. We had the then Governor-General, Sir Denis Blundell, welcomed with Navy personnel from the HMNZS Canterbury. There was a flyover by the Nelson Aero Club and a formal ball. The official ceremony involved then Mayor Roy McLennan, Town Clerk Ash Levestam and Trafalgar Centre Chair Brian Mills. Brian gave a decade of his life to advocating for this project, referring to the centre as “a new heart for Nelson." It was lovely to have the late Brian’s wife, Margaret Mills, present at the 50th.

In 2013, the Trafalgar Centre was controversially closed due to concerns over its seismic strength. Approval was given for $16.6 million of strengthening and redevelopment work and it was fully reopened in early 2017. The centre has been underutilised over the past three years of disruptions from Covid. Council’s focus is on growing its usage and promoting more events.

Nelson is blessed with many facilities built up over generations through a combination of community spirit, fundraising and ratepayer support. Our Theatre Royal, Suter Art Gallery, Nelson Centre of Musical Arts, Trafalgar Centre and Saxton Stadium are just some of the facilities that make Nelson a great place to live. The effort and funds that have gone into each is extraordinary and we are indebted to the people who helped create them. We best honour their contribution by ensuring we put these facilities to as much use as possible.