Canterbury Rugby League calls for compensation and a say in the future of its ‘spiritual home’

Wednesday, 26 November 2025

Families whose loved ones’ ashes are scattered on the Addington stadium grounds are amongst those calling for respect as the ground's future is debated.

Canterbury Rugby League (CRL) estimates it has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in income since relinquishing its home ground following the earthquakes to make way for the temporary stadium.

Now the organisation is calling for compensation and a say in the site’s future.

With One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha opening in April, Christchurch City Council is considering the future of the temporary stadium in Addington, now called Apollo Projects Stadium.

The land has a valuation of about $31 million and Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger wants to sell it for housing. But CRL says it wants to be directly involved in all decisions regarding the park’s future.

The ground, formerly known as Rugby League Park, is league’s spiritual home and it is a resting place for many in the league community, whose ashes were spread on the land, CRL acting chairperson Janelle Riki-Waaka said.

“We want to be part of the conversation. This is our home. Our blood, sweat and tears are in this paddock.”

Canterbury Rugby League acting chairperson Janelle Riki-Waaka says the sport has a lost critical income since relinquishing its lease of Rugby League Park.

After the February 2011 earthquake fatally damaged the former AMI Stadium (Lancaster Park), the Government decided to build a temporary 17,000-seat replacement at Rugby League Park.

However, CRL had a lease on the land until 2044.

Riki-Waaka said CRL relinquished the lease because it was for the greater good of the city at the time.

“We did the right thing for our city. We embodied our commitment to manaakitanga, community and the collective wellbeing of our beautiful city, but the price our sporting community paid was significant.”

Rugby League Park in Addington had been home to the sport for decades.

The council did provide league with a new home at Ngā Puna Wai sports hub and CRL is grateful for that, Riki-Waaka said. It is a high-quality, modern facility but as a result of the move, league has lost critical income.

In Addington, it had a bar and kitchen, which it gained income from, and it also hired out the stadium for events.

“At Ngā Puna Wai, while the facility is excellent, we do not have access to those same income-generating assets. At the same time, our operating costs have increased, meaning we now carry greater financial pressure with fewer ways to offset it.”

Riki-Waaka said it was important for the wider community and decision makers to understand that without those revenue streams, CRL had been left in a vulnerable financial position, despite doing the right thing for the city post-quake.

A 2005 aerial shot shows Rugby League Park in Addington on the right.

Higher costs and reduced revenue has had a profound impact on the organisation, Riki-Waaka said.

“It affects our staffing, our ability to grow programmes, and our capacity to support our rapidly expanding community of players, coaches and whānau.”

CRL chief executive Malcolm Humm said the sport would have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue over the past 15 years.

While, the council cared for the grounds, CRL had to pay about $1000 a week to use Ngā Puna Wai during the season.

According to a 2024 Sport Canterbury report, CRL membership was at its highest on record with 3562 members. Rugby league was the fastest-growing major field sport in Canterbury, up 21.5% in a year. Primary school league has exploded from 24 teams to 42 teams in a year.

Riki-Waaka said the board had no figure in mind for compensation from the council, although some in the league community wanted 100% of the profits from any land sale.

“We need to invest in grassroots rugby league and this money will help us do that.”

CRL is reliant on grants to stay afloat, she said.

Then there is also the issue of people’s ashes being scattered at the site.

Rugby League Park is the spiritual home of rugby league in Canterbury and pictured here in 2001 is Canterbury Bulls player Clayton Harris meeting the Manurewa Marlins’ defence.

“We request that appropriate tikanga (Māori customs and values) is upheld with care and respect for those whānau who laid their loved ones there to rest.”

Riki-Waaka said she personally would like a sports ground to remain on the site.

“I’d still love to see kids running around on it.”

So many people held fond memories of the site as a sports ground before and after the quakes, she said.

Riki-Waaka’s son, Jordan Riki, made his test debut for New Zealand league team at the ground last year. He plays in Australia’s NRL competition for the Brisbane Broncos where he played a pivotal role in the team’s grand final win in October.

City councillor Andrei Moore, who represents Halswell ward, said the council needed to recognise the historical significance of the Addington facility along with the unjust position that CRL have ended up in as a result.

“There has not been any engagement with CRL. I feel like this should be part of the process.”

He said cultural and spiritual respect must be shown at every step of the process, given ashes have been spread on the ground.

Council citizens and community general manager Andrew Rutledge said the council had not received any request from CRL to discuss the issue.

He said a report detailing all viable options for the future use of the land would be presented to the council in the new year.