Invercargill parkgoers have a new way
to play outside while putting their logic and problem-solving skills to the
test, with the unveiling of a giant chess board at the Queens Park Playground.
Invercargill-Southland Chess Club President Gary McLean and Treasurer Richard Christie were first in line to try out the new installation, which was completed by the Invercargill City Council Parks and Recreation team on Monday.
“It’s a dream come true for us,” McLean said.
“We always wanted an outdoor chess set somewhere in the city, and we couldn’t have asked for a better location than in the middle of Queens Park.”
Manager Parks and Recreation Caroline Rain said she had seen outdoor chess sets in other places around the country and they were always very popular.
“As soon as we took down the construction fences and had the pieces set up on our new board, we had people walking past and wanting to play.
“It’s a simple addition, built by our staff for very little cost, but adds a lot of value to the playground and Queens Park,” she said.
A sign would be placed next to the board explaining the rules of the game, and the pieces would be brought inside each night to ensure they did not blow away or get damaged.
Christie, who is an internationally accredited official and chess trainer, said he hoped to organise events centred around the giant board or use it to teach people how to play.
“The large board will be a useful tool for demonstrating different techniques to groups and it could be the focal point of an outdoor chess tournament.”
Southland’s history with chess went back to at least the 1860s, when the first club was established in the region.
The latest iteration of the Invercargill-Southland Chess Club began in 2017 and currently meets weekly on Friday nights for social games and tournaments, which anyone is free to join.
McLean said he hoped the installation at Queens Park would provide greater visibility for chess and encourage a range of people to get involved in the game.
“Chess is accessible to anyone, regardless of gender, age or culture,” he said.
“The outdoor board is an open invitation to anyone visiting the park to give it a go.”
The Queens Park chess board is located beside the Cheeky Llama Cafe, and is available for public use during the cafe’s opening hours, typically from 9am or 10am until 4.30pm daily.
