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RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Delayed Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre expected to cost $500 million
Photo: SUPPLIED / CROWN INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY The cost for a long-delayed sports centre in central Christchurch is expected to reach about $500 million, more than double the sum originally forecast. The new Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre is due to be completed in October, almost a decade later than planned. The project has been plagued by a littany of problems including construction headaches, unfavourable ground conditions, cost blowouts and legal wrangling. In a statement on Friday, Crown Infrastructure Delivery confirmed the centre was now 90 percent complete following the construction of a five-metre deep dive pool. The agency said it was expected to cost "around $500 million upon completion". Considered one of the city's main post-quake anchor projects, the centre was originally expected to be completed in 2016. However, a $75m budget blow-out saw a deal with a preferred contractor axed by the government, with the project later handed over to Crown-led project managers. Photo: SUPPLIED / CROWN INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY The delivery agency originally known as Ōtākaro Limited has had two re-brands over the course of construction, changing to Rau Paenga in 2023 and then Crown Infrastructure Delivery. Construction finally began in 2018 with a revised completion date of October 2021. This was revised to late-2023 as the pandemic presented further logistical obstacles. The situation sagged further by 2022 as contractors CPB claimed for an additional $212m, a figure that ballooned to $439m in 12 months. Both parties initially agreed on a contract price of $220m. CPB took legal action in a bid to terminate its agreement in 2023 after Crown Infrastructure Delivery rebuffed claims of sizeable cost increases. Lawyers for CPB described the situation as "a case where Humpty Dumpty could not be put back together again". Photo: SUPPLIED / CROWN INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY The High Court ruled against CPB barring the firm from suspending on-site construction works, with an appeal dropped in March 2024. The Christchurch City Council's contribution to the project has been capped at $147m. With the finish line in sight, Crown Infrastructure Delivery project director Alistair Young said they were starting to see several finishing touches to the project. "The structure's platform stands about three metres high, with the tallest decorative leaves reaching up to seven metres," he said. "It includes 36 different features - from lights and interactive water elements to three fun-filled slides. Surrounding the structure are an additional 28 ground-level water features, creating an engaging play zone for children of all ages." The 32,000 square metre centre will be the country's largest indoor sport and aquatics facility. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Delayed Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre expected to cost $5 million
Photo: SUPPLIED / CROWN INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY The cost for a long-delayed sports centre in central Christchurch is expected to reach about $500 million, more than double the sum originally forecast. The new Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre is due to be completed in October, almost a decade later than planned. The project has been plagued by a littany of problems including construction headaches, unfavourable ground conditions, cost blowouts and legal wrangling. In a statement on Friday, Crown Infrastructure Delivery confirmed the centre was now 90 percent complete following the construction of a five-metre deep dive pool. The agency said it was expected to cost "around $500 million upon completion". Considered one of the city's main post-quake anchor projects, the centre was originally expected to be completed in 2016. However, a $75m budget blow-out saw a deal with a preferred contractor axed by the government, with the project later handed over to Crown-led project managers. Photo: SUPPLIED / CROWN INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY The delivery agency originally known as Ōtākaro Limited has had two re-brands over the course of construction, changing to Rau Paenga in 2023 and then Crown Infrastructure Delivery. Construction finally began in 2018 with a revised completion date of October 2021. This was revised to late-2023 as the pandemic presented further logistical obstacles. The situation sagged further by 2022 as contractors CPB claimed for an additional $212m, a figure that ballooned to $439m in 12 months. Both parties initially agreed on a contract price of $220m. CPB took legal action in a bid to terminate its agreement in 2023 after Crown Infrastructure Delivery rebuffed claims of sizeable cost increases. Lawyers for CPB described the situation as "a case where Humpty Dumpty could not be put back together again". Photo: SUPPLIED / CROWN INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY The High Court ruled against CPB barring the firm from suspending on-site construction works, with an appeal dropped in March 2024. The Christchurch City Council's contribution to the project has been capped at $147m. With the finish line in sight, Crown Infrastructure Delivery project director Alistair Young said they were starting to see several finishing touches to the project. "The structure's platform stands about three metres high, with the tallest decorative leaves reaching up to seven metres," he said. "It includes 36 different features - from lights and interactive water elements to three fun-filled slides. Surrounding the structure are an additional 28 ground-level water features, creating an engaging play zone for children of all ages." The 32,000 square metre centre will be the country's largest indoor sport and aquatics facility. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Times
£130m plans to restore Crystal Palace to its former glory — revealed
Plans for the £130million redevelopment of the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace have been unveiled, with the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, aiming to bring Diamond League athletics and other big events to the historic venue from 2028. As The Times highlighted in 2023, a facility that was opened in 1964 had fallen into a depressing state of disrepair for more than a decade, with the main swimming and diving pools closed and the athletics stadium in dire need of refurbishment. Khan appointed Ben Woods as project manager later that year, with the architect now enlisting the services of a contractor to modernise the centre with a stunning 'once-in-a-generation' restoration plan. The Times can exclusively reveal the images and a video of how
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New images of Crystal Palace sports centre plan
New images of the proposed redevelopment of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre have been released, showcasing a refurbished 50m swimming and diving pools and improvements to the external pitches and athletics centre, which opened in 1964, was the site of the first Women's FA Cup final, and has also hosted Grand Prix redevelopment would be completed by Morgan Sindall Construction, the mayor of London has announced, with planning applications due to be made imminently. The ambition is for the work to begin in the second half of 2025, and be complete by 2028. The 60-year-old building that houses the swimming pools and indoor facilities has a Grade II listed structure that must be redeveloped in accordance with heritage guidelines. Sir Sadiq Khan said: "Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is an historic and much-loved sporting and community facility where many UK sporting stars have started their careers and trained, but which needs major investment and refurbishment."We look forward to working closely with partners and the local community to create an outstanding sporting venue."Richard Dobson, of Morgan Sindall Construction, said he was delighted to work on the historic sporting venue."We look forward to continuing our close and collaborative relationship with the Greater London Authority on this regeneration," he added.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Clubs to return to Folkestone Sports Club after site purchased
The chairman of a swimming club which lost its home when a Kent sports centre closed said he was looking forward to returning after the site was saved from permanent Sports Centre has been closed for nearly a year, but after months of uncertainty, has been bought by The Sports Trust, which plans to run it as a leisure centre Howe, chairman of Folkestone Swimming Club, which calls the sports centre home, said the deal was "really positive news", but uncertainty loomed as to when the site would Howe said the club was planning discussions with the trust to find out more about the opening. He said: "We are coming up on 10 months now where we can only have one proper session a week. It's good to know we will back in there eventually."Administrators confirmed in January that the sports centre, which was built in 1972, had secured a buyer for the site after the trust who previously ran it said in July 2024 it could "no longer afford to remain operational".Sir Roger De Haan, whose charitable trust supported The Sports Trust in buying the site, said it had outbid multiple housing developers to ensure the site could be saved as a sports Carney, chairman of the trust, said there was "considerable work to be done to the centre" and hoped that essential works would be completed over the next 12 acquisition of the site was also praised by Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan, who added that the deal "secures the future of this vital local community facility".
