Metro centre delay frustrating
Sports organisations disappointed
Frustrated Canterbury sports organisations are angered by the latest delay of the $300 million Metro Sports Centre, which will hinder their ability to grow their codes and host national tournaments.
Yesterday, the new government announced the axing of what was thought to be a sure deal with the preferred contractor because costs would exceed the budget by $75m.
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods said the agreement with preferred contractor, Leighs Cockram Joint Venture would be terminated, delaying the completion date until the end of 2020.
Netball Mainland chief executive Brigit Hearn expressed her dismay at yet another hold up with progress. She said it was unacceptable for a city of Christchurch’s size, which did not have a suitable indoor venue following the earthquakes.
Hearn used the example of the city’s AMI Stadium, which took under 100 days to build, yet netball had been waiting ‘‘4015 days and counting.’’
‘‘Further delays [are] disappointing for [the] number one sport for women in the country and on-going lack of facilities for [the] second largest city in the country is not good enough,’’ Hearn stated.
Swimming Canterbury and West Coast will also continue to be affected and chairman Wayne Rollinson was perplexed.
‘‘I am just dumbfounded on why it takes so long to build something from A to Z. We were promised something and the delays and the delays and the delays just keep on coming.’’
The facility was once a $217m priority project for the government, but the budget later expanded to $246.3m and is now beyond $300m.
Rollinson questioned whether or not an all-purpose stadium to cater for all indoors sports at once was the right option if the costs were too much to continue.
He suggested the new facility would be best as a competition only venue with the Olympic sized 50 metre pool, rather than a ‘‘catch all’’ facility for leisure sports. He reasoned Jellie Park and other public pools in the city were sufficient.
The new facility would host a ten-lane 50 metre pool.
‘‘I am unsure whether in trying to appease all sports in one centre is the best thing. It is probably not going to serve us all the best if it is putting us over budget.’’
‘‘Is it really necessary? Can other stadiums be altered for them. There is no question that a 50 metre pool in Canterbury is needed.’’
For the past sevens years since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, competitive swimmers in Canterbury have competed and often trained outside the region.
While Rollinson said the sport hasn’t suffered in losing numbers, it was a financial commitment for parents who had to field those travel costs.
Rollinson was briefed on the news last week, but said he was yet to notify SCWC members about the delay - the initial completion date was 2016.
He was grateful to the Labour government, as for the past seven years National had not directly updated those directly involved.
Canterbury Basketball chief executive Paul Duggan said the delay could ruin the progress of the sport in the region as it would make hosting national events impossible.
Like several indoor sports, Canterbury Basketball rent their facilities from the Christchurch City Council such as Cowles Stadium, Celebration Stadium and the YMCA. They often use the school gym facility at Middleton Grange School also.
‘‘We don’t have any other facilities that’s the thing. We have been holding out for this for a while and now it is just more wait and see.
‘‘The delays are what’s really hurting us.’’
Duggan said with numbers growing in basketball and not having enough courts to facilitate, Canterbury Basketball were having to limit numbers at camps as they were at full capacity.
National tournaments require at least six courts in one place. The new facility would host nine courts.