Lansdowne Park, Blenheim

Lansdowne Park is one of the two home grounds for ITM Cup team Tasman, the other being Trafalgar Park in Nelson. It is also home to the Marlborough Red Devils and Blenheim Clubs Harlequins and Central.

It served as Russia's training base for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and will host a 2016 pre-season Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and Hurricanes.

References

Lansdowne Park

Lansdowne Park is a 40-acre (16 ha) historic sports, exhibition and entertainment facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, owned by the City of Ottawa. It is located along Bank Street and is adjacent to the Rideau Canal, in central Ottawa. Lansdowne Park contains the TD Place stadium/arena complex, (formerly Frank Clair Stadium and the Ottawa Civic Centre arena, the stadium being integrated with the arena), the Aberdeen Pavilion hall, and the Horticulture Building. Until 2010, the park was the site of the annual Central Canada Exhibition (Ottawa SuperEx). The site was redeveloped. Around the arena and stadium complex is a retail and residential redevelopment. Along the Rideau Canal, the open space which used to be parking is being converted into an urban park with some recreation facilities.

History

In 1847, the then Bytown was deeded 24.5 acres (9.9 ha) acres by the government of the Province of Canada, and acquired another 15 acres (6.1 ha) bought from owners over several years, to make up the initial grounds of what is now called Lansdowne Park. Two notable exhibitions occurred prior to the first Central Canada Exhibition. In 1875 the City of Ottawa hosted the thirtieth annual Exhibition of the Provincial Agricultural and Arts Association. In 1877 an exhibition included the first public demonstration of the telephone in Canada.

TD Place Stadium

TD Place Stadium (originally Lansdowne Park and formerly Frank Clair Stadium) is a 24,000-seat stadium in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located at Lansdowne Park, on the southern edge of The Glebe neighbourhood, where Bank Street crosses the Rideau Canal. It is the home of the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Ottawa Fury FC of the North American Soccer League (NASL). It was known as Frank Clair Stadium until it was renamed on January 7, 2014. It has existed in rudimentary form since the 1870s, and as a complete stadium since 1908.

History

The playing field, part of the Ottawa Exposition Grounds, was first cleared in the 1870s. It was used for equestrian events, lacrosse and rugby football. The first permanent grandstand was built on the north side of the playing field in 1908. It was demolished in 1967 to build a new set of stands with an integrated ice hockey arena underneath, known as the Ottawa Civic Centre.

A small grandstand was built in the 1920s on the south-side of the field, and it was replaced in 1960. A second deck for the south-side was added during the 1970s. As of 2008, prior to lower south-side demolition, the overall stadium had a 30,927 capacity for football.