Back and brighter than ever – Wharenui Recreation Centre Stadium

Stronger, shinier and definitely more colourful than before, the Wharenui Recreation Centre Stadium is reopening on Friday 1 July.

The Christchurch City Council facility was closed in February 2011 after sustaining earthquake damage. It has now been repaired and strengthened and is reopening at 100 per cent of the New Building Standard (NBS).

“It’s historically been a popular facility with the community, and in particular the Wharenui Swimming Club and Wharenui School have made it their home away from home and are eager for the doors to open again,” says Deputy Mayor Vicki Buck, who will do the honours 25 years after she originally opened the facility.

“I actually had the privilege of opening the centre back in 1991 as Christchurch Mayor, and this in some ways is more meaningful – it’s had a quarter-century to become a beloved fixture of the community, and of course the outside wall is more stunning than anyone would have expected.”

Internationally-renowned and Christchurch-born street artist Dcypher, aka Guy Ellis, returned to his hometown in May to create a unique, colourful, Kiwiana-themed mural to brighten the street-facing wall.

“It looks amazing, and adds a real burst of colour that we’re thankfully starting to see more of around the city – why have a blank wall when we can have something fun like this?” Deputy Mayor Buck says.

The opening will feature speeches from Deputy Mayor Buck, Riccarton–Wigram Community Board Chair Mike Mora, and president of the Wharenui Swimming Club Marlene Morrison, as well as a waiata from pupils of Wharenui School. It will be followed by a basketball game on the revamped court.

Before its closure due to quake damage, Wharenui Recreation Centre Stadium was a popular location for the public and pupils from local schools for basketball, exercise classes, badminton and martial arts. The adjacent swimming pool building has remained open since the quakes, and will be repaired to 67 per cent NBS.

The facility is available for bookings from Monday 11 July – the public can visit www.wharenui.co.nz or call (03) 348 6488 to hire the stadium, which has its own sound system. Also available are the lounge, which has capacity for up to 40 people seated in cinema style and is kitted out with AV equipment and a white board, and the fully-equipped adjoining kitchen.

A time-lapse video of the mural being painted can be viewed here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/x0x95s3n1wr1gvp/scopemurel.avi?dl=0

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