A small group gathered at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Wednesday to protest against plans by Canterbury Cricket to turn the ground into a venue for international matches.
About a dozen members from the Save Hagley Park group met at the Oval on Wednesday afternoon, calling for it to be preserved.
A cricket venue in the park has been included in the Christchurch Central Development Unit's blueprint and a $1.4 million development of the ground is underway.
But the group's spokesperson, Martin Meehan, says the old Christchurch stadium, formerly known as Lancaster Park, should be used instead.
"It's taking control of a corner of Hagley Park that's meant to be open for all the people for all the time as a free recreational space. I think a big part of it is a precedent that this sort of thing would set."
Mr Meehan says he will meet with Christchurch mayor Bob Parker in the next two weeks to discuss the plans.
