‘Tangible progress’ on Christchurch’s Te Kaha stadium will be increasingly obvious

Christchurch residents will see “tangible progress” on the city’s $683 million Te Kaha stadium from now on as the superstructure starts rising up from the ground.

Construction on the mammoth 30,000-seat covered stadium has been under way for about eight months, but has so far focused on preparing the ground and the foundations of the building.

Last week the stadium began properly rising from the ground as four concrete columns – each five metres tall – were built.

“From this point on, people are going to see real tangible progress happening on-site as the contractors begin the vertical construction,” said David Kennedy, the chief executive of the Christchurch City Council company that is overseeing the build.

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“People will start to see Te Kaha rise above the hoardings around the site.”

He said the newly-built concrete columns were in the south-western corner of the site and marked beginning of a new phase of construction.

Construction of ground floor walls would begin this week too, he said.

Once completed, the stadium’s top row of seats will be about the same height as the neighbouring eight-storey former Inland Revenue building.

Meanwhile, ground improvement works across the site were completed ahead of schedule two weeks ago. Kennedy said substructure works would continue for the next couple of months.

Seventeen major concrete pours had taken place to form the stadium’s foundations.

“We’re pleased with progress and that the project remains in line with its programme and budget,” Kennedy said.

Building began in July last year, just after the council voted to increase the project budget by $150m.

The stadium is due to be completed in April 2026.