Watch: Quarterly drone flyover

With autumn upon us, it's time for our quarterly drone flyover video. BESIX Watpac's Adrian Jones provides an overview of how things are progressing on site at Te Kaha. 

The video opens with a shot over the western stand, where the concrete floor of level 3 is being installed, and the steel framing installation has reached level 4. 

The concrete seating plat installation is progressing around the south stand into the eastern stand, which backs onto Barbadoes Street. 

Another month of progress is in the books, and the project continues on schedule for an April 2026 opening. 

Faces of Te Kaha: Jenny Divers

Position: Construction Survey Lead, Graham Surveying

Day to day: I'm in charge of all the survey work on site. Basically, we bring the designer's vision to life by building a full 3D model which shows where everything should go. The steel is manufactured to these specifications. Once it's built, my team also does quality assurance to make sure everything is right.

I've been on site right from beginning of the project, working through the stages of piling, foundations, hold down bolts, and the bowl structure. We're now working on the roof stage.

The best part of my job is: Having the opportunity to work indoors and outdoors. I get a really nice mix of being on site and in the office with the team. It's also great getting to work with people from all different backgrounds and specialties. I've learnt so much about other trades and seeing how all the elements come together.

Past projects: I've worked all over Queensland doing construction surveying, including working on a new runway at Brisbane Airport, and high rise residential buildings in Brisbane. 

Outside of work: I have three year old daughter, so lots of time spent on family trips to the beach or park. I'm also into smoking meat and craft beer, and we're in the middle of some home renovations. 

Progress pics

Below are some of the images taken last month, providing a closer look at some of the on site action.

The first shot below shows one of the steel rakers being lifted into place. The rakers will hold the tiered seating.

The picture below shows the steel work for the lower bowl seating underway.

Finally, below is a look at the southern stand from within Te Kaha. The concrete seating plats are being installed around the southwest corner. The arena’s seats will be attached to the plats, which in turn are attached to the steel rakers.

Have your say on Te Kaha's neighbourhood

Residents can now share their views on the vision for a fast-developing neighbourhood in Christchurch’s Central City.

Public feedback is open on the South-East Central Neighbourhood Plan, which aims to guide the development of the fast-changing area over the next 10 years.  

Te Kaha – Canterbury’s Multi-Use Arena – is a key feature of the area. The South-East Central neighbourhood also includes Latimer Square, One Central, the SALT District, the Atlas Quarter, Te Pukenga (Ara Institute of Canterbury) and the commercial area between Barbadoes Street and Fitzgerald Avenue.

Read the draft South-East Central Neighbourhood Plan and have your say before consultation closes on Monday 1 April 2024.

What to expect over the coming months

The next six months of the Te Kaha project will see work continue on the superstructure bowl, and work begin on the first elements for the roof.

Because of the huge size of the project, the different stages will overlap to streamline the process. That means as one phase of work progresses across the site (working from south to north), the next phase will follow closely behind it.

Q1 2024 - Structural steel and concrete formwork will continue on levels 2-4 of the west stand. Structural steel to the east stand upper bowl will progress along with steel to the northern lower bowl. Radial roof column trusses will continue to be installed in preparation for the superstructure roof work to begin. Concrete seating plats will be installed progressively from the south towards the east and also to the west stand.

Q2 2024 - Structural steel to the northwestern stand bowl will progress. Radial roof column trusses will continue to be installed around the perimeter of the arena. Roof cantilevers will begin to be installed ahead of the roof steel erection that spans across the field of play. Internal fit-out works will progress to all stands. Concrete seating plats will be installed progressively to the east stand and also to the west stand.