Christchurch City Council secretly considers buying Woolston football grounds from troubled club
Thursday, 26 March 2026
Christchurch City Council is understood to be considering buying a Woolston sports ground put up for urgent sale by its private owner.
Garrick Park, the home ground of Cashmere Technical Football Club (CTFC), was put on the market earlier this month by the cash-strapped Woolston Club.
The Press has learned the council discussed, in the public excluded section of its finance and performance meeting on Wednesday, purchasing the property.
It is not publicly known what the outcome was.
An item headlined “strategic property acquisition” was listed on the public excluded agenda. It said it was discussed in secret because the council “remains in open negotiations regarding the acquisition of this land and buildings and its position needs to be protected, which outweighs the public interest”.
The park, on Hargood St, is part of 4.75ha of land being sold, which includes an adjoining car park. According to the listing, the package has a capital value of $1.3 million. It is zoned for housing, big enough for a subdivision with about 70 homes.
Council head of parks Rupert Bool said conversations remained ongoing and he could not comment further.
CTFC last year asked the council to buy the park.
In an update sent to its community earlier this month, the CTFC board said it was working closely with the Woolston Club and the council to explore options that supported a “positive outcome for community sport”.
The land is being advertised as a redevelopment site in five titles, to be sold by a March 31 deadline.
On February 23 the Woolston Club board sent a confidential letter to members saying the club was “facing sustained financial pressure” in the face of significantly increased operating and maintenance costs, and revenue had not kept pace.
This led to ongoing financial strain, dwindling cash reserves, deferred essential maintenance and another upcoming financial loss, the letter said.
As well as trying to boost membership and revenue, the club would sell Garrick Park to raise cash for overdue repairs and maintenance, and to reinvest in the club “to stabilise the club’s financial position” and “provide working capital”, the letter said.
The club recently sold its adjacent bowling greens and pavilion for $750,000 to the St Albans Park Sports Club. The sale settled last May.
According to its latest financial records, the club reported a $438,000 deficit for the year to March 2025, following a $449,000 deficit the previous year. It has assets worth an estimated $9.5m and liabilities of $1.3m.
Earlier this month, Woolston Club general manager Mark McGuinness said the club was trying to find a buyer that allowed the green space to stay, but it might go to a property developer.
The council holds a 10-year lease over the park.
The Woolston Club opened in 1956 and has bar, restaurant, meeting, entertainment and sports facilities. It has about 2500 members.