Finally ready - Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre handed over in the nick of time

Friday, 31 October 2025

The long-awaited Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre has been handed over the Christchurch City Council. Clockwise from L - aerial view of the facility near Christchurch city centre; the 25 by 20 metre dive pool; Crown Infrastructure Delivery chief executive John O’Hagan.

Christchurch’s long-awaited Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre has officially been handed over from the Crown to the Christchurch City Council.

The last minute move - announced late on Friday October 31 after a Crown Infrastructure Delivery (CID) spokesperson previously said it planned to complete the handover in October - means the council will now be free to set an opening date for the building, which cost $500 million.

Parakiore has been handed over to Christchurch City Council and is expected to open by the end of the year.

The council will run the facility.

Following statements from CID chief executive John O’Hagan and Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger, the council will launch the next stage of the Parakiore project, testing systems, training staff, finalising operating procedures and supporting tenants.

O’Hagan said the announcement came at a pivotal time for the city and marked a poignant milestone - the completion of the Crown-led Anchor Project programme, a cornerstone of post-earthquake recovery and urban regeneration.

Parakiore has been handed over to Christchurch City Council, which means officials will now be able to soon announce its opening date. The 50 metre competition pool.

“These projects were about more than bricks and mortar — they were about restoring confidence, creating spaces for people and setting Christchurch up for the future,” he said.

Located near Christchurch’s city centre, the project has faced repeated delays and budget increases since first being announced as part of the city’s post-quake rebuild.

When it opens - and it is scheduled to do so before the end of the year - Parakiore will be the largest facility of its kind in New Zealand.

It will include a 50-metre competition pool, a separate dive pool, a suite of hydroslides and leisure pools and multiple indoor courts, including a show court with seating for 2500 spectators.

Parakiore is expected to open by the end of the year.

The centre is projected to bring tens of millions of dollars each year into the city.

“We just can’t wait to complete the fit-out and get the doors open to the community,” Mauger said. “Parakiore is going to be absolutely amazing for everyone — you can do it all under one roof: swim, dive, dance, shoot hoops, play pickleball – the choice is yours.”

The facility is set to host the Special Olympics National Summer Games, starting on December 10.

“Christchurch is on a roll,” Mauger said, “and with Parakiore right at the heart of the city, it’s already contributing to that momentum.”

CID will now transition out of its delivery role but continue to support ‘close-out’ activities as required.

O’Hagan said more than 2.9 million construction hours had gone into Parakiore, with up to 400 workers on site at peak and nearly 4,000 people involved overall.