AusLeisure

Christchurch's highly-anticipated metro sports centre may not now open until 2022 following the halt in building during New Zealand’s Coronavirus shut down.

As reported by Stuff, the $301 million central city project was to have been built by late-2021 but is now expected to be completed sometime in 2022.

COVID-19 lockdown restrictions meant workers were unable to get on site from late March until late April and were slowed by restrictions when they returned to the site. Meanwhile the global pandemic has put the production of some items and materials being source from overseas on hold.

When complete, the Christchurch Metro Sports Facility will be a large aquatic, indoor recreation and sport venue, featuring a 10-lane, 50-metre pool with 1000 seats for spectators, a 20m by 25m diving pool, five hydroslides (waterslides) and indoor courts for various sports.

Australian company CPB is building the facility with New Zealand Government rebuild company Otakaro is managing it.

It was originally expected to be finished in early 2016, but has been plagued by delays - including a dispute that led to the previous design and build contractor being dropped.

An Otakaro spokesman told Stuff that the timeline for the build would be "subject to any unforeseeable impacts of future outbreaks in countries that feed products into our supply chain".

The Stuff report provided the example of the stainless steel pools for the facility being made by Myrtha Pools in Northern Italy.

The 50 metre pool is already in Christchurch while other pools are set to be shipped in the coming months.

The spokesman advised “the (Myrtha) factory was completely closed during the lockdown in Italy and we are now awaiting confirmation of the manufacturing and shipping dates for the remaining pools as the factory is reopening.”

However, Australasian Leisure Management understands that the the pools that have yet to arrive are not scheduled to be installed until next year.

The Christchurch City Council will make a capped contribution of $148 million to the project and will own and operate the finished building.

Artist's impression of the Christchurch Metro Sports Facility.

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