Sports facility’s scope revealed
Updated artists impressions of the metro sports facility, a Christchurch anchor project.
New details of Christchurch’s new metro sports facility reveal its floor layout and features including a dry dive centre, circus training facilities, acrobatic harnesses and dance floors.
The $300 million building – in the early stages of construction as one of the city’s anchor rebuild projects – is due to be finished in late 2021 and to open in early 2022 following a string of delays.
Floor plans show the ground floor will house six pools, a hydroslide landing area, nine sports courts, changing rooms, a water sensory area, a childcare centre and a cafe. On the next level are a fitness centre and headquarters for High Performance Sport New Zealand.
The top level will have a performance movement centre with three studios plus a shared office for regional sporting groups known as Sports House.
Plans for the performance movement centre are open for public feedback now until December 6, including to what extent the city council would be involved in running it, and whether studios will be leased or hired out.
The centre will cater for dance, circus, drama, physical theatre, diving and gym sports for beginners through to high performance, and national level.
It will have a dive centre with diving boards over a foam-filled pit, trampoline facilities, and a 14-metre high studio for circus arts with rigging and pulleys for harnesses plus sound and lighting. As previously announced, the metro sports facility pools will include a 50m lane pool, leisure and learning pools, 1000 seats for aquatic sports spectators, five hydroslides, courts suitable for sports including netball, basketball and volleyball with a show court with retractable seating for 2500 spectators, and a birthday party room.
The 3-hectare facility is being built by CPB Contractors Ltd of Australia on a 7ha site bordered by Moorhouse Ave and Antigua and St Asaph streets.
Its design and construction are being managed by Crown company O¯ ta¯ karo, and the Christchurch City Council will own and run the completed facility.
Costs are shared between Crown and council, with the city’s contribution capped at $143m.
The metro sports facility was first announced in mid-2012 as part of the Government’s Blueprint master plan for the central city. The centre was originally to be finished in early 2016 but has been plagued by delays – including a dispute that led to the previous design and build contractor being dropped.
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