Following 18 months of construction, MainPower Stadium will open its doors to the public at the official opening ceremony on Sunday 8 August.

Waimakariri District Mayor, Dan Gordon, says he can’t wait to see the reaction of the community once they get inside the building, “It’s an incredibly well designed facility and I think our residents are going to be impressed.”

“I’m especially excited about the benefits it will provide our young people who will gain easier access to high quality sport and activities. I think this Stadium will help inspire our next generation of athletes.”

At 6,000m2 in size and featuring four standard-size courts, the community facility is the largest to be constructed in the Waimakariri District. It will be managed by the North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust (NCSRT) who say local sporting clubs have been eagerly awaiting the opening as the District’s expanding population and participation numbers have outgrown available court space.

Michael Sharpe, NCSRT CEO, says that MainPower Stadium reduces the need for the community to travel outside the district for training or competitions, “We have everything here under one roof. In addition to servicing the needs of the people in our region, the stadium gives us the exciting opportunity to provide top-level amenities which would put us in the perfect position to host regional and national competitions.”

The opening will begin at midday with a welcome from Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga, followed by speeches, ribbon cutting and unveiling of a commemorative plaque. Throughout the afternoon the public will be able enjoy tours of the full facility and demonstrations from local sports clubs in the main court area.

“We’d love for people from all over our District to join us in celebrating the opening of this wonderful community asset,” says Mayor Dan Gordon. “Everyone is welcome.”

The Stadium will be home to a range of sports including futsal, handball, korfball, volleyball, netball, badminton and basketball. It includes a central fitness facility, changing rooms, coaching and meeting spaces and seating for up to 500 spectators.

“We want to see wide use of this fantastic facility by all of our residents, from fitness centre members, to interest groups and sporting clubs,” says Mr Sharpe.

The building was designed by Warren and Mahoney Architects and built by Leighs Construction. The site on Coldstream Road in Rangiora places it next to other sporting facilities such as the MainPower Oval for cricket, MainPower Hockey Turf and the Maria Andrews Park football ground. Neighbouring Council-owned land is earmarked for tennis courts and further sports fields when required.

Find out more about the opening event on the MainPower Stadium Facebook page.

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