World-class athletics track a ‘coup’ for city
Christchurch has sprinted into a new athletics era with the opening of a new, world-class track.
The development has been described as a coup for the city, and a major boost for a new generation of athletes who grew up without proper facilities.
Athletics Canterbury christened the new 400-metre track with a meet on Saturday. It is the first part of the $53.65 million first stage of Nga¯ Puna Wai sports hub to open.
Hundreds of children competed on the blue track under a blue sky in the morning. The senior competition kicked off in the afternoon, as spectators watched on from the surrounding embankment and covered stand.
‘‘It feels like Christmas has come early for the athletics community,’’ Athletics Canterbury general manager Ian Thomas said.
‘‘It’s such a coup for Christchurch as part of our rebuild. Today we had a whole generation of children who’ve never run on anything other than grass.
‘‘I’ve never seen hundreds of children smiling as much as they have for several hours.’’
Thomas hoped the new facility would help attract more participants and better foster local talent. After a series of delays to open the track, the community had found its new home, he said.
Athletics Canterbury president Andrew Stark said there were about three times the number of senior competitors compared to what the club had been getting while running events at Rawhiti Domain. The number of children competing remained consistent.
‘‘I’m hopeful this signals a turning point in athletics, and it’s a new era.’’
He said the new track had good bounce. ‘‘I didn’t hear any negative comments about the track, which is always good, because they do comment if it’s a bit hard or a bit slow.’’
Althletics Canterbury were upskilling as an organisation to become more professional now they were at the new venue, Stark said. The club has spent about $200,000 on new equipment for the facility, such as cages for the hammer throw and pads for the pole vault.
Stark said competitors included commonwealth games athlete Angela Petty. A nearby resident who had watched the track being built from his house came down for his first race. The oldest competitor was 85.
The 400m track will be used for sprints, middle and long-distance running and relays. The complex also caters for jumping and throwing sports, as well as pole vaulting.
Speaking before the event, Christchurch City Council recreation and sports service manager David Bailey emphasised the years of hard work and planning that had gone into Nga¯ Puna Wai.
The council is developing the sports hub, built to replace several earthquake-damaged facilities across the city, in partnership with Athletics Canterbury, Canterbury Hockey, Rugby League Canterbury, Tennis Canterbury and Sport Canterbury.
The project, located near the Canterbury Agricultural Park, has been beset by delays.
Nga¯ Puna Wai will also have two hockey turfs, to open in December, and two rugby league fields and 12 tennis courts, expected to open next April. The hockey turfs have International Hockey Federation (FIH) certification, the only turf in the country to gain FIH Global Elite standard.
The complex sits on a 32-hectare section of Nga¯ Puna Wai Reserve in southwest Christchurch, next to the Canterbury Agricultural Park.
It was built to replace several 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 grounds will house covered spectator stands with 314 seats at the hockey turfs and 446 at the rugby league grounds.
Parking will be available for 458 cars along with four bus bays and over 140 cycle parks.