29 Nov 2017

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Contractors are pushing ahead on the Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub but higher than expected rainfall over the past few months mean the first sporting facilities are unlikely to be finished until the middle of next year.

The Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub is being built to replace a myriad of earthquake damaged sports facilities across the city, including the athletics and field amenities at QEII Park, the hockey turfs at Porritt Park, the tennis courts at Wilding Park, and the rugby league fields displaced from Rugby League Park in Addington (the new AMI Stadium).

“We had a very wet winter and spring that has had an impact on the planned earthworks scheduled for September, October and November,’’ says Christchurch City Council Recreation Services Manager David Bailey.

“The excessively wet ground conditions meant the contractors needed to wait for the silts and gravels to dry out before they could progress with the work, which unfortunately has impacted on the construction programme.

“We were originally hoping to have the athletics track up and running in March next year but the delays to the earthworks programme mean work on the track is unlikely to be completed until May 2018.

“Provided we don’t get excessive rain over the summer we hope to have the hockey pitches ready for use in July,’’ Mr Bailey says.

The outdoor tennis courts will be the next to open - in spring 2018 - followed by the rugby league fields – in the 2018/19 summer.

“We’re working very closely with the sports codes in the development of Ngā Puna Wai and they understand the reasons behind these delays. Both athletics and hockey have plans in place to ensure their sports’ needs are met until their new facilities are ready for use,’’ Mr Bailey says.