Dame Susan Devoy: World Cup decision right for Garden City

The rebuilding of Christchurch both emotionally and physically will be a marathon and not a sprint.
We need to ensure that the fervour shown by people in the rest of New Zealand to help will continue today, tomorrow and in the years to come, because that's what it will take.
I watched on television a young father who had been made redundant. He spoke of losing his home, his job and how on earth was he going to provide for his two young children. Before the interview ended he made a plea for a job.
I have listened to the hopelessness of people who have rung talkback in tears, completely and utterly exhausted by just endeavouring to get through each day.
Unless we have walked in their shoes we can't possibly imagine the physical and psychological toll this must be having as they try to rebuild their lives. And this is for people who have lost material possessions let alone those who are grieving over the loss of their family, friends and colleagues some of whom are still yet to be identified.
So even though life moves on this is still raw.
I wonder what these people really thought when the talk focused on Christchurch's inability to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. At this point in time do they really have the time and energy to worry about a rugby tournament?
I appreciate rugby is our national sport.
Our obsession with the oval ball and the All Blacks is an intrinsic part of our national psyche but, when it's all said and done, it's just a game and games come and go.
The red and black sporting pride is intrinsically woven into staunch Cantabrians. Nowhere in New Zealand are they more parochial and loyal. But if Christchurch had been given the green light for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the efforts both in time and money to reach the required standards would have detracted from other important projects.
Virtually every sporting code in Christchurch is facing major challenges in restoring their grounds and facilities.
Grassroots sports are the backbone of every sporting community and common sense would suggest that the priority now is to ensure that people, especially children, have their fields resown, their turfs repaired so they can resume their weekly sporting activities because Saturday sport is about as normal as you can get.
Perhaps I am too narrow in my outlook. The economic benefits of hosting the RWC in Christchurch may far outweigh any of the other factors in consideration.
Who knows, the Barmy Army arriving en masse to Christchurch may have just been the welcome distraction that Christchurch people needed during this difficult time.
But what we do know is that the greatest lift to Canterbury and the country as a whole will be when the All Blacks are victorious in the World Cup and that won't matter where.
Then Christchurch should be the first city off the block to welcome their heroes. A ticker tape parade through the city to AMI stadium where everyone, not just those who could afford tickets to the Rugby World Cup, can come together and celebrate the achievement and recognise the many Cantabrians who make up the All Blacks squad.
The young man who lost his job won't be concerned that Christchurch is not hosting an World Cup games. His priorities are somewhat different now.
What he deserves is to secure employment, get a roof over his head for his family and then hopefully he will be able to invite a few mates round to watch the telly and remark on what a year it has been.