New stand at Stadium Taranaki gets official reopening with gym to be added

New Plymouth’s Stadium Taranaki has received its official reopening with the staging of a community open day on Saturday (4th May).

Unveiling the completed redevelopment the venue’s East Stand, the family fun day included tours of the new structure and on-field games on the Stadium’s playing surface.

The opening marked the completion of the venue’s $80 million redevelopment, necessitated after surveys in 2017 and 2018 revealed both its East and West Stands as earthquake prone and unusable.

Now the venue is counting down to its first fixture, the Taranaki versus King Country Ranfurly Shield match on Wednesday 11th June, with venue owner the Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) announcing it is offering free buses and complimentary tickets to encourage supporters to attend.

In a statement, TRC Chairperson Craig Williamson said the game would be a milestone occasion and he hoped to see a large crowd enjoy the venue’s first large event.

New gym development
Stadium tenant Taranaki Rugby has also commenced building a new community gym at the venue - being built behind the changing rooms in the southeastern compound of the stadium next to Sport Taranaki’s offices.

Once completed, the 525 square metre building will include a training room along with strength, stretch and cardio spaces as well as meeting and medical rooms.

Taranaki Rugby Chairperson Daniel Radcliffe said the gym would be an important part of the bidding process for fixtures by the All Blacks, Black Ferns and Māori All Blacks matches.

Radcliffe told local media “they need to have some training facilities on site.

“If we don’t have those, it will put our bids immediately behind the eight ball. So it’s another massive plus for having that here on-site as well.”

Taranaki Rugby Chief Executive Jimmy Fastier said the gym “ticks a number of boxes” and would complement the entire venue.

The new gym will be named Te Whare Pūngao o Ngā-motu - ‘energy house of New Plymouth’.

Images show the reopening event for Stadium Taranaki's East Stand.