More than half of the steel at Te Kaha installed

Friday, 20 September 2024

More than half of the steel going into Te Kaha stadium has been installed.

A site manager at the Te Kaha stadium site is a competitive cheerleader with a University of Canterbury team. He also likes gymnastics and circus aerials.

Ben Stuart, a site manager with The Connect Group, looks after 12 people who grout the connections between steel and concrete at the multi-use arena construction site. They also seal, install waterproof membranes, and cut concrete.

The best part of his job is “the pressure”, he says. “It keeps me thinking and on my toes.”

The shape of Te Kaha is really apparent now.

Meanwhile, more than half of the steel going into One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha has been installed.

About 13,000 tonnes of steel will go into the stadium in total and over 8000 tonnes have been installed in the stands and roof so far.

Ben Stuart, a site manager, likes competitive cheerleading, gymnastics and circus aerials.

The project remains on budget and on track for an April 2026 opening, Christchurch City Council project director Kent Summerfield said in a regular update.

This was despite the early September liquidation of a sub-sub-contractor called Triangle Steel Construction Ltd. It was erecting curved radial trusses around the perimeter of the stadium.

The red hydraulic frames hold up the white roof trusses as they are placed and welded together.

Workers had recently started installation of the roof trusses.

These trusses span the field of play, from east to west.

“Each roof truss is installed in three sections, which are supported by huge hydraulic frames as they are welded into place,” Summerfield said.

An artist’s impression of the finished Te Kaha stadium.

“Each roof truss takes approximately one month to install, and then the hydraulic frames are relocated to support the installation of the next roof truss.”

Six roof trusses had been installed over the south stand, according to Summerfield’s update.

In the players’ facilities in the west stand, gib was up, painting under way, and finishes such as door frames were progressing.

Work continued on the streets and water network around the stadium.

Seven weeks in, over 1700m of new pipes had been installed.

Working in multiple areas at once was the best way to reduce the duration of the works, the update said.

Driver were urged to avoid Barbadoes, Madras and Lichfield streets and use Fitzgerald Ave or Montreal St.