Strong support for Christchurch Stadium to go ahead

In response to the public consultation regarding the fate of the Te Kaha stadium, Christchurch City Council has received 29,000 submissions which is the largest number on a public consultation in a decade. 4,000 of the submissions were received on just the last day.

The exercise was undertaken after the Council announced a $150 million price increase for Te Kaha, citing supply chain problems, inflation, and a labour shortage. The hike means that the projected price tag for the multi-use arena is now $683 million.

The submissions revealed there is strong support for the project to go ahead despite the increased budget.

Christchurch City Council confirmed 77 percent of the submissions received are in support of the extra $150 million being spent.

Council Research Analyst Aimee Martin says 8 percent of the submissions wanted the project paused and re-evaluated, while 15 percent say they want it stopped altogether.

While speaking to some members of the Indian community, it was evident that a vast majority wanted the project to go ahead.

Vishal, who is a keen sports lover, said it would be great to have a modern state-of-the-art multi-use arena in the city. This will promote sports and establish Christchurch as a hub for sporting action in South Island.

Rajeswar who is the president of Telugu Badminton Club of Canterbury said having the venue will help attract more international events and concerts, leading to a steady flow of tourists to the city. He feels in the long-run the project makes a lot of economic sense.

Narinder Singh points out the stadium will also boost the local economy, small and medium-sized businesses and overall hospitality sector in the region, who will benefit from increased tourists and spectators.

Various other community members that Indian Weekender spoke with also reiterated that the city is sure to reap the rewards of having the world-cass stadium in the coming decades.

The stadium will have a seating capacity of 30,000 for sports events and will hold a minimum 36,000 spectators for large music events.

The Council will now analyse the submissions in more detail over the coming days and make a decision on July 14.