When the Canterbury earthquakes robbed Christchurch of most of its sports and recreation facilities, the decision was made to build back better. Parakiore is the result: 32,000m² of world-class aquatic, court and high-performance facilities in the heart of the city.

The build took more than 2.9 million construction hours, with nearly 4,000 workers involved and up to 400 on site at peak. It was delivered through quake-affected ground conditions, a technically demanding design, and a pandemic that halted work entirely for a period.

The centre was gifted its name by Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri in April 2021.

CID's role

CID project managed the full build on behalf of the Crown, managing technical complexity, ground conditions, commercial challenges and public communications throughout.

What was delivered

• 50-metre, 10-lane competition pool and 25 x 20-metre dive pool, both to World Aquatics standards with moveable bulkheads and electronic timing
• 1,000 poolside seats
• Hydroslide tower with five slides, including the Looping Rocket, the first of its kind in New Zealand
• New Zealand's first Sensory Aqua Centre
• Nine indoor courts, including a three-court Show Court with sprung timber flooring to FIBA Level 1 standard and retractable seating for 2,500
• Dedicated fitness spaces, movement studios and a High Performance Sport New Zealand training base

Key facts

• 32,000m² total floor area
• 2.9 million construction hours
• Nearly 4,000 workers involved
• Around 2 million visits expected each year