Kiwis help Christchurch visitor attraction prepare to re-open

30 October 2017

The New Zealand rugby league team have assisted one of Christchurch’s newest visitor attractions re-open after last year’s devastating Port Hill fires.

The Christchurch Adventure Park plans to re-open on 5 December and called in the Kiwis to work on a pump track – an off-road circuit of bankedturns and features, designed to be ridden completely by riders "pumping" or creating momentum by up and down body movements. Designed for children, the pump track is a hugely popular feature of the Christchurch Adventure Park.

The team are in town for a Rugby League World Cup 2017 (RLWC2017) game against Scotland on 4 November and worked at the Christchurch Adventure Park on Monday afternoon.

RLWC2017 will see 14 teams play 28 games over five weeks, from 27 October until 2 December 2017, across New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea.

ChristchurchNZ is the host city coordinator for RLWC2017 in Christchurch.

Christchurch Adventure Park spokesperson Anne Newman said it was great to have the Kiwis on board to help meet the target for re-opening its doors. The fire saw the Park close for 10 months while logging of approximately 600 acres took place.

“In the eight weeks we were open before the fires there were 50,000 visitors who experienced the exhilaration of our slopes. We have had significant local and international interest in the Adventure Park and we know it will become a well-loved attraction for all. Our re-opening is fast approaching and we are preparing for a big summer season. It’s fantastic to have the support of the New Zealand league team as they strive to be at the top of their sport. That’s our aspiration too.”

ChristchurchNZ General Manager of Attraction Linda Falwasser said securing two of the RLWC2017 games in Christchurch, particularly the quarter final, is awesome for our region. The energy and excitement derived from high profile events is great for residents, local businesses and attracting visitors to our city.

“We are expecting big crowds at the two games as people will be traveling from across the South Island to see some of the greatest players from across the globe play in Christchurch. Scotland arrives tonight and will be holding an open training session for everyone to attend straight after school at Wainoni Park on Tuesday. Both teams are focused on performing but have been very keen to engage with the local community and future generations.”

“It’s been 11 years since the Kiwis played in Christchurch and this is a great opportunity for our community and South Islanders to see the best our country has to offer” she said.

Tournament organisers forecast over 6,000 international visitors will travel to New Zealand for the tournament, who are expected to contribute around $4.8 million to the economy.

Notes for editors:
• Christchurch is hosting New Zealand versus Scotland on 4 November, kick off at 5pm, and a quarter final on 18 November 2017.
• Tickets for pool games in New Zealand start at $10 for kids/concessions, $20 for adults and $45 for a family. Tickets are available from RLWC.com
• Five other games will be played across the country in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington.
• The tournament also provides the opportunity to showcase Christchurch and New Zealand to the world, with the tournament to be broadcast in over 110 countries.
• Christchurch Stadium is the venue for both RWLC2017 matches in the city. Locally this is known as AMI Stadium but for this international event it is required to be a ‘clean’ non-branded venue.

© Scoop Media