Christchurch Metro Sports Facility to feature Polin Looping Rocket hydroslide

Christchurch’s Metro Sports Facility is set to include New Zealand’s first trapdoor hydroslide, a 12.6-metre-high ‘Looping Rocket’ from Polin Waterparks.

Otakaro Limited Chief Executive, John Bridgman, says to mark the first six months of the facility’s construction, the finalised hydroslide (the New Zealand term for a waterslide, ed.) tower design is being released today, showing five slides that have been configured for all types of users.

Bridgman advised “like all the other anchor projects, the goal of the Metro Sports Facility is to draw people into the city and New Zealand’s first ‘Looping Rocket’ will do just that.

“The adrenaline rush that will come from standing on a floor that suddenly drops away, sending you hurtling down a hydroslide at around 40km/h, will be an attraction for many people living in and visiting Christchurch.

“The ‘Sphere Slide’ will be a noticeable feature on the corner of Antigua and St Asaph Streets. One or two riders using an inflatable raft will be spun around in the sphere, not knowing which way they’ll be facing for the rest of the 125-metre ride.

“Another slide, starting at the lower nine-metre platform, will be slower and feature more gradual turns for less confident riders.”

Ōtākaro Limited - Metro Sports Facility hydroslides - December 2019 from Ōtākaro Limited on Vimeo.

Christchurch City Council Head of Recreation, Sports and Events, Nigel Cox, says the five hydroslides will cater for around 300 riders at a time, explaining “since May 2018 we’ve sold over 70,000 tickets for the hydroslide at Taiora QEII, so we know they are popular. Allowing more people to enjoy the thrill at the centrally located Metro Sports Facility will be great for our city.”

Otakaro, Christchurch City Council and Matapopore have worked closely on the design of the hydroslide tower, which will be unique with its black and grey coloured tubes.

Matapopore Chairperson, Aroha Reriti-Crofts, says the intertwined layout and colouring of the slides have been designed to resemble silver bellied eels in an eel pot, adding “we want to develop a greater depth of understanding of the Ngai Tuahuriri/Ngai Tahu values, traditions and concepts within a contemporary urban environment.

“Bringing these visual indicators of Ngai Tuahuriri/Ngai Tahu identity and stories to life will help to ensure the city of Christchurch is recognisable on the world stage.”

Advising that six months on from the sod turning the facility is taking shape, Bridgman concluded “CPB Contractors is now placing the first of the exterior concrete walls and next year we’ll start seeing the structural steel going up, which will give people a better sense of the scale of this Facility.”

The hydroslide is being provided by Polin Waterparks and will be installed by Swimplex Aquatics.

Click here to contact Polin Waterparks via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Click here to contact Polin's New Zealand distributor Ian Coombes Limited (known as Coombes Aquatics Limited as of 2021) via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Images: The ‘Looping Rocket’ from Polin Waterparks to be installed at Christchurch’s new Metro Sports Facility (top) and an architect's rendering of the hydroslide in the completed facilty (below).