Watch: Behind the scenes at Te Kaha

As we head into the cooler months in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Te Kaha Project Director Kent Summerfield shares the latest news from site in a new video update.

The concrete seating plats now stretch about halfway around the east stand. The plats will support the arena’s seats.

A quarter of the radial truss roof supports have now been installed, with more being added over the coming months, in preparation for the roof work beginning in the coming months.

A lot of progress is also being made within the four-storey west stand, which houses player facilities, a function space, corporate boxes, coaches' and media facilities. The framing and glass frontage are being installed in the function space, along with a range of services.

The project remains within budget and on track to open in April 2026.

Faces of Te Kaha: Phil Riding

Position: Services Site Manager

Day to day: I work with all services trades, like electricians and plumbers, to plan and programme in the work. There's a lot of forecasting and anticipating any issues that might come up and problem solving. 

The best part of my job is: the satisfaction of seeing progress from week to week, and being part of making it happen. 

Past projects: I've worked on the Court Theatre, a few schools, and the new workshop and office block for the Lyttelton straddle cranes.

Outside of work: I'm a volunteer firefighter for the Spencerville Volunteer Fire Brigade. We were involved in the response to the recent Port Hills fires. I was working 12 hour shifts, looking for any hotspots. It was great to have the support of BESIX to be able to go out and do this work. 

Te Kaha snapshots

A quarter of the radial truss roof supports have now been installed.

The glass frontage of the function space, on level one of the west stand, is being installed. The space will be able to cater for around 900 guests.

The concrete seating plats now stretch about halfway around the east stand. The plats will support the arena’s seats.

Now that the plats in the south stand have been completed, aisle stairways are being installed.

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.

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.

Q3 2024 - Radial roof column trusses will continue to be installed around the perimeter of the arena. Roof cantilevers will continue 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 continue to be installed progressively to the north stands, west stand and low levels of all stands.