Watch: Eight months of work on Te Kaha in under two minutes

Thursday, 29 August 2024

From bare bones to a soaring landmark - this is what a million hours of work on Christchurch's Te Kaha stadium looks like.

From bare bones to a soaring landmark - this is what a million hours of work on Christchurch’s new stadium has built.

A new timelapse video, started in November 2023, just ahead of work beginning on the roof support structure.

It culminates with the first section of roof being installed in the south stand along Tuam St last week.

The video also captures progress on the seating bowl, including the installation of 1188 concrete seating plats, which form the tiered shape of the stands.

One New Zealand was unveiled as the naming sponsor of Te Kaha early last month.

“We have a team of around 350 currently working on site to deliver the project, and collectively we’ve just hit the one million work hours mark,” said Te Kaha project delivery chief executive David Kennedy.

“It’s great to be able to look back and see how far we’ve come.

“Week to week, the team on site are making noticeable progress. The seating bowl, hosting facilities in the west stand, and the roof structure are all tracking well.”

Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger admiring the workmanship on Te Kaha in early July.

So far, 28 of the tall roof supports, the radial trusses, have been welded into place around the seating bowl, and the remaining 12 will be finished early next year.

The roof, made of steel and a clear type of plastic, will be installed into mid-2025.

The remaining 500 seating plats are currently being installed in the lower stands, and work will begin soon in the northwest stand, before handrails, stairs and seats are put in.

The stadium, which will have 25,000 permanent seats and the option for 5000 more, is expected to open in April 2026.