CPB has advised Rau Paenga it expects to have construction of Christchurch’s Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre completed in July 2025.

New Zealand’s largest indoor sports and aquatics facility will be owned and operated by Christchurch City Council, which will undertake a 12-week commissioning process once construction is completed.

Rau Paenga Chief Executive, John O’Hagan, says he is cautiously optimistic about CPB’s latest forecast, based on the contractor’s past performance on the project.

“There are some dedicated people working very hard on the site right now and the path to a July 2025 completion is achievable, if CPB resources and manages the project appropriately. I have personally stressed to CPB’s leadership the weight of community expectation that is on it to complete this highly-anticipated facility.

“While I’m disappointed construction cannot be completed earlier than July 2025, with CPB halting its legal action earlier in the year and ending its pursuit of $439m worth of claims for past and future work on Parakiore, taking more time to materially challenge the contractor’s programme would only become a distraction that would not see Parakiore finished any sooner. The most productive course of action now is to focus on achieving this date.”

Mr O’Hagan says Parakiore is now about 80 percent complete.

"The scoreboards are in, the first of the wooden flooring is being laid in the 3780m2 community courts space, the installation of the final two pools is about to commence and the first of the 19,500 plants and trees that will surround the facility are being planted.

“As we did with Te Pae Christchurch, we will be able to provide a total cost for the project when it is finished.

“While I appreciate this is a little unconventional not to share a forecast cost, given the past tensions, ongoing discussions around the nature of the live contract and the levers we have to drive performance, it is prudent for us to maintain a strong commercial position for this last portion of the build.”

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