Milestones met at Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre with pools filled and show courts installed

Christchurch City Council has advised that Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre is nearing completion, with two major milestones met - the installation of the Show Courts and the filling of the competition and dive pools.

At 32,000m2, Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre will be the largest facility of its kind in New Zealand, featuring multi-purpose indoor courts, swimming pools, hydroslides, an aquatic sensory space, a gym, movement studios, and group fitness rooms.

Crown Infrastructure Delivery Ltd is responsible for the construction and delivery of the centre. Construction is expected to be completed in October and handed over to Christchurch City Council for fit-out, before opening in late 2025. Christchurch City Council will own and operate the centre.

Crown Infrastructure Delivery (CID) Project Director, Alistair Young, says the Show Courts area is about the size of a supermarket and noted “this 2,900-square-metre space has been purpose-built to host televised games and high-performance sport, with retractable grandstands flanking the central court, ready to roll out for spectators. It’s also large enough to accommodate three basketball or netball courts, or up to four volleyball courts for community use.”

The flooring is a standout feature, with approximately 23,500 linear metres of beech timber laid with Young adding “the central court features timber chosen for its uniform colouration, reducing visual distractions for viewers watching televised games.”

Permanent line markings have been applied for basketball, netball and volleyball, while additional marked points for futsal and badminton allow temporary lines to be added as needed, without visually cluttering the court.

In the aquatic zone, the 50-metre competition pool and the dive well-measuring 25 by 20 metres and five metres deep - have now been filled with more than five million litres of water. These pools meet international competition standards and will support both elite training and community use.

With the pools filled, the pumps, heating systems and filtration equipment beneath the surface have been powered up. Meanwhile, the final lining is being laid beneath the aquatic play tower and filling of the manu and learn-to-swim pools is underway.

Young shared “these milestones reflect the extraordinary effort of everyone involved in delivering Parakiore.

“From the retractable grandstands to the aquatic play structure and now the Show Courts and pools, we’re seeing the vision come to life.”

Images. Credit: Christchurch City Council