New recreation facilities proposed for Christchurch

Christchurch City Council has agreed on a spatial plan for redeveloping Lancaster Park and on the scope of Hornby’s new library, customer services, recreation and sport centre.

The new community facilities in Hornby are going to be built on the eastern section of Kyle Park and will include a library, multi-purpose lane pool, a learn-to-swim pool, a toddlers’ wet play area, and a customer service area.

The $37.5 million centre will also have a 70 metre2 family spa pool with access ramp, an espresso bar for gathering and socialising, a creative activities room, and multi-purpose rooms for meeting and quiet study. 

Nigel Cox, Head of Recreation, Sports and Events advised "the community prioritised extra facilities or features that could be included in the new centre which provided a good sense of where the Hornby community's priorities lie.

“The end result will be a facility that’s been tailor-made for the community, and it’s a great example of the Council’s strategy to strengthen communities with our facilities.”

With the scope of the centre now agreed, work will begin on the concept design. Construction is planned to start by the middle of 2021 and for the centre to open by the end of 2022.

Lancaster Park
Lancaster Park will be made safe, grassed and opened for public recreational use once the site is clear.

The deconstruction of the earthquake-damaged Lancaster Park stadium is due for completion in December this year and the demolition material will be removed from the site by January next year.

The Council has approved a spatial plan developed in conjunction with community and sporting groups for the redevelopment of the park once the stadium is down. This will inform the latter stages of the stadium deconstruction project and the first stage of opening the site for public use.

The spatial plan includes sports fields for winter sporting codes such as rugby and football, and a cricket ground for summer use. It also features informal, public open space and landscaped areas that reflect on the rich history of the park, which hosted sporting and cultural events for more than a century.

When development funding becomes available, a detailed landscape plan will be prepared in consultation with the wider community to include a range of sport, recreation, and community facilities.

Image: Montage showing Hornby with its proposed new sport, recreational and library facilities.