Sports centre set for May 31 handover

Contractors working on Wanaka’s new sports facility will be adding roofing and cladding soon, and...
Contractors working on Wanaka’s new sports facility will be adding roofing and cladding soon, and are on track to be finished on May 31. Photo by Mark Price.

The steelwork is in place, the roof and walls are about to go on and by mid-winter every other feature of Wanaka's new $13.9million sports facility should be in place, right down to the lines on the floor for netball and basketball courts.

Project manager for Cook Brothers Construction Dave Hanning told the Otago Daily Times on Thursday the company was on target to hand over the completed building, plus hockey turf and sports fields, to the Queenstown Lakes District Council on May 31.

It is expected the facility will be in use a month later.

While the 2560sq m sports facility does not look overly big from the nearest roads - State Highway 6 and Ballantyne Rd - it seems very roomy inside.

The lowest point of the roof is 12m and as well as the two courts, there is room for tiered seating for 200 spectators.

The sports facility will have three large ducts in the roof to let hot air out in the summer, and radiant heaters in the roof to keep the air temperature about 16degC in the winter.

The changing rooms will be kept a little warmer with underfloor heating.

Although a construction contract has not yet been signed, work is likely to begin in February on the new $11.8million swimming pool attached to the western end of the sports facility.

The 1890sq m pool building was "a lot more technical'' to build, Mr Hanning said.

The main 25m by 18.8m eight-lane main lap pool and the learners' pool will be imported from the United States.

Project manager for project management company RCP James Bremner said the two pools would be made from stainless steel by American company Natare.

They would be shipped to Wanaka from Indianapolis in more than 20 segments, which would be welded together once in place.

The steel would be visible on the sides of the pool, but the floor would be covered by a light blue PVC membrane.

Such pools have been installed in Christchurch.

Natare's flagship pool is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel pool in Singapore, which stretches across the top of three high-rise towers.

Mr Bremner pointed out the labour-saving aspects of the Wanaka complex, which will have one entrance foyer for both the sports facility and the pool.

And the pool is designed so just one life guard will be needed, rather than three, as is the case with Queenstown's pool facility.

It is due for completion in April 2017.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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