PM opens new Fraser Park pavilion in Timaru, tells SC it can win Meads Cup again

Friday, 5 July 2024

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has had the honour of officially opening the new pavilion at Fraser Park during his visit to Timaru on Friday.

The pavilion is part of an $8.2 million upgrade of the facility, and was opened in front of a crowd of about 200 representatives from the council, sporting clubs, businesses and schools..

Luxon told those gathered that he had family connections to Timaru, where his father was born.

He remembered visiting the area a lot as his father was a sales rep staying in different hotels “on the main drag’’ of the town.

“To think about how the city is, actually, today, it’s going forward big time,’’ Luxon said.

He thought of it as “a pretty exciting place’’ and the stadium was a big part of strengthening the community and taking it forward, he said.

Those involved in the project should feel “incredibly proud’’ of what they had achieved and congratulated and thanked them for all their hard work.

“It doesn’t come together easily but what you’re seeing here is the heartland and the community coming together to make something like this happen.

“It’s a legacy for our kids and our grandkids in this region.’’

He told the South Canterbury Senior Rugby team to shoot for another four Meads Cup victories.

“I think the last Ranfurly [Shield] win from you was in 1974, and 1950 before that, so it would be good to go for that at some point as well.’’

Introducing the MP for Rangitata, Luxon said James Meager was “advocating very strongly for the region’’.

Meager acknowledged the work of those involved and spoke of his memories running out onto the field at Fraser Park.

New Zealand Rugby general manager of community rugby Steve Lancaster was also at the opening and told the crowd “watch this space’’ in terms of getting top level fixtures.

Fraser Park Community Trust project redevelopment manager Phillipa Guerin and Rooney Group’s Gary Rooney were recognised for their contribution to the project, and presented with plaques.

Luxon and Meager were presented with personalised South Canterbury green and black rugby jerseys.

Guerin said the development was hugely exciting for Timaru and South Canterbury, and having the prime minister open the pavilion was a thrill.

“We found out through the local [National Party] electorate office he would be available a week to 10 days ago.

“The pavilion had been completed by then; it was just the grounds that have to be finished.

“Because we had the opportunity of the prime minister doing the opening, we got a certificate of public use for the pavilion.”

Guerin said some funds still had to be raised and an application was being made to central government for help with the cost of the No 2 turf.

A further $244,000 was being sought from the public.

The multi-purpose 2038m² pavilion was built along the park’s Church St boundary and housed a function centre, with a kitchen, bar viewing areas and meeting rooms.

As well as providing a multi-purpose venue, Fraser Park would also be a multi-sport facility, a move described as “a great nod to innovation” by New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson when he visited in June 2023.

The trust had hoped the whole facility could have been opened on July 20, Guerin said, to coincide with the final of the South Canterbury senior rugby competition.

However, recent cold weather had prevented this.

“There have been little hiccups along the way.”

Guerin said it had been a long journey seeing the development through to this stage.

“The idea started whirling in July 2018, then we had Covid-19 in the middle of it and construction started 18 months ago.”

The grand opening for the entire project had now been pushed back to September 14, when South Canterbury would host North Otago in a Heartland match.

At this stage, Guerin said no-one had been lined up to perform the official opening.

The ground was named Fraser Park in 1926 as rugby took over.

The trust first announced the project, at the ground formerly known as Alpine Energy Stadium, in August 2018, with a projected cost of $3.6m and a completion date of 2020. That plan underwent changes, and costs increased.

Fundraising had included the Timaru District Council which voted unanimously in late 2022 to give $500,000 to the trust having earlier committed to providing $905,000 from its stimulus fund. Money came also from the Lottery Grants Board and other sources, including $500,000 from the Government’s Project Regional Strategic Partnership Fund in May 2023.