Source: Radio New Zealand
Entrance to Christchurch’s new ‘Parakiore’ multisport complex. RNZ/Nathan Mckinnon
The country’s biggest indoor sport and aquatic centre will open to the public in less than a fortnight.
Parakiore – central Christchurch’s long-delayed $500 million multisport aquatic complex – has a 50-metre competition pool, a dive pool, five hydroslides, a large recreational pool and a sensory aqua centre, as well as nine courts and a High Performance Sport New Zealand training base.
Before Parakiore opens to the public on 17 December, it will host swimming and basketball for the Special Olympics National Summer Games from 10-14 December.
Christchurch City Council head of recreation, sports, and events Nigel Cox said the Special Olympics was a fitting first use of the building.
“They’ve got their swimming competition and basketball to be played out of here, with some demonstration sports as well,” he said. “We’re expecting all their people will come here to watch and it’ll be an amazing amount of spectators.”
Although Parakiore had taken years to build, Cox said the wait was worth it.
“Come to the opening day and you’re going to be amazed,” he said. “All that stuff will be forgotten, because this is just the best thing that’s going to happen to Christchurch.
Indoor courts at Christchurch’s new ‘Parakiore’ multisport complex. RNZ/Nathan Mckinnon
“This is a world class fantastic facility – 32,000 square metres of building. There’s something for everyone, from the hydroslides to the community courts.”
The complex also has a three-court space with retractable grandstands, as well fitness studios and a circus studio.
Cox said staff were stoked with the new centre.
“When we brought the staff in and welcomed them to start doing the testing, a lot of them were overcome,” he said. “You’ve had those that knew before the earthquake the previous QEII, through to staff that have never known that, but just as they came into the space, it was so big and just going wow, this is so much bigger than they thought it was going to be.”
Swimming facilities at Christchurch’s new ‘Parakiore’ multisport complex. RNZ/Nathan Mckinnon
High Performance Sport New Zealand South Island manager Andrew Ellis said he was excited.
“I sort of grew up in Christchurch, with QEII as an asset – a jewell in the crown of our sporting world,” he said. “That’s been missing for a long time, so to have that integrated approach to sport and recreation in this city, where everyone’s going to be in the same place connecting, it’s just going to be a gamechanger.
“We’ve got a specifically designed facility for around our business, so a high performance gym, running track and indoor throws cage, coupled with the integrated meeting spaces and office spaces, where our high performance sport providers can work tightly with those coaches and athletes on a daily basis.
High Performance Sport New Zealand South Island manager Andrew Ellis. RNZ/Nathan Mckinnon
“We have a legacy in Christchurch and Canterbury of producing some fantastic performers on the world stage. This is the next step of producing those athletes towards LA 2028 [Olympics], Brisbane 2032 and beyond.”
Parakiore was built by Crown Infrastructure Delivery, and is now owned and operated by the council.
The project was expected to cost about $500m, more than double the original budget.
The city council’s contribution to the project was capped at $147m.
Construction began in 2018.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
