Remember this date: 8 March 2019. It will go down in Canterbury sporting history as one to cherish, marking as it does the official grand opening of Christchurch’s Nga Puna Wai Sports Hub.
It is a milestone being celebrated by sporting communities across the region and was made all the more memorable by its timing to coincide with the return of the New Zealand Track and Field Championships to Christchurch. This flagship event ushered in an exciting new era for athletics competition in Canterbury.
Years of hard work and planning have gone into developing this premier outdoor sports facility on 32 hectares of reserve land by Canterbury Agricultural Park, near Wigram.
Combining community playing fields with international sports facilities, Ngā Puna Wai replaces sporting facilities damaged in the 2010/11 earthquakes and provides a new sporting home for Canterbury athletics, hockey, tennis and rugby league.
It has been exciting for all involved to witness the positive impact of new facilities coming on stream at Ngā Puna Wai.
Having the world class facility is already proving a powerful jump starter for sporting dreams, not just for elite competitors but for sportspeople of all abilities, young and old. Getting to this point has required vision, courage, generosity and dedication.
Ngā Puna Wai is a collaborative partnership between Christchurch City Council, Sport Canterbury, Athletics Canterbury, Canterbury Hockey, Rugby League Canterbury, Tennis Canterbury and the local sport and recreation community, as well as many funding partners including the residents of Christchurch.
Hundreds of children have already competed on the hub’s new world-class 400-metre, nine-lane athletics track since it opened last October for sprints, middle and long distance running and relay events.
The Canterbury Primary Schools Athletics Championships were held at Nga Puna Wai in December, marking the first such championships held in Christchurch since the earthquakes.
Complementing the track is a grassed multiuse field area, covered seating, a high tech control centre and practice throw and jump facilities.
The Nga Puna Wai Sports Hub provides a new sporting home for Canterbury athletics, hockey, tennis and rugby league.
Two internationally-certified artificial turf hockey pitches opened in December, paving the way to Christchurch being named as one of only two New Zealand venues to host International Hockey Federation (FIH) Pro League games last month.
An historic moment for rugby league in February was Canterbury Rugby League’s debut on the new community fields at Ngā Puna Wai, (Rockcote Canterbury Bulls vs the Warriors’ Intrust Super Premiership side).
On track to open in April are 12 outdoor acrylic tennis courts and two sand-carpet rugby league pitches. Ngā Puna Wai also includes a new centralised sports hub building and plaza area.
‘Ngā Puna Wai’ — the name — means ‘many spring waters’ and refers to springs and tributaries that abound in the area, also part of the ancestral landscape of Ngai Tahu.
This was an important meeting place for local Maori and that ethos continues today when people come together to share their love of sport and outdoor spaces.
Everyone is welcome at Ngā Puna Wai, to take part in sports, support players or use the sporting fields.
This article was brought to you in association with the following businesses…
- Total Drainage & Excavation Ltd
- HEB Construction Ltd
- Road Metals Co Ltd
- Trenching Dynamix
- Mexted Performance Sports Surfaces
