Further contractors sought for Metro Sports Facility

  • Gerry Brownlee
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says interest is now being sought through the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS) website from contractors wanting to be involved in planning the build of Christchurch’s Metro Sports Facility.

“This Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) role is an opportunity for contractors with suitable experience to work with the Government and Christchurch City Council to plan the design and build of what will be a multi-generational asset for the city,” Mr Brownlee says.

“The chosen ECI contractor will provide advice and expertise on the path to building the facility, and may have the opportunity to stay on and be involved in the build itself.

“This process is running in parallel to an earlier tender seeking architectural design services and multi-disciplinary engineering design services, which closes on October 30.

“With proposals already coming in from prospective designers for the facility, there is now real momentum in the development of this key anchor project, which will cater for everything from recreational to elite sporting competition.”

The Government and Christchurch City Council have agreed joint funding arrangements for the Metro Sports Facility.

It will include an indoor aquatic hall with a 79 metre, 10-lane competition pool and seating for a minimum of 1000 spectators, various other pools, including hot pools and hydroslides, nine indoor courts for sports such as netball and basketball, and retractable seating for a minimum of 2500 spectators.

There will also be a dedicated base for High Performance Sport New Zealand, and spaces for fitness and other activities.

The Government has already purchased most of the land required to develop the facility on a central Christchurch site spanning over 70,000sqm between Moorhouse Avenue, Stewart Street, St Asaph Street and Antigua Street.

The Registration of Interest document for the ECI opportunity can be viewed at the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) website, www.gets.govt.nz. Registrations are due by 19 November 2015.

Once evaluated, short-listed respondents will be invited to participate in a Request for Proposal (RFP) process, which is due to happen in December 2015. Up to two preferred ECI contractors will be selected to initially provide services, before a single contractor is chosen.

It is expected that the design work for the Metro Sports Facility will be underway by the end of this year.

The intention is to have some of the facility open to the public in 2019, and the remainder in 2020, but efforts will go into shortening those timeframes where practicable.

More on the Metro Sports Facility can be found at www.ccdu.govt.nz/projects-and-precincts/metro-sports-facility