Earthworks to begin on $8.3m Fraser Park redevelopment

Monday, 27 February 2023

The only structures left standing at Fraser Park after extensive demolition and removal of a wooden office block are No 1 stand and light towers.

Earthworks on a major $8.3 million redevelopment of South Canterbury rugby’s main ground, Fraser Park in Timaru, will start in the next 10 days.

“The first job is to shift the light towers on the Timaru Boys’ High School side a little,” Fraser Park Community Trust chairman Brent Isbister said.

“Then we’ll start doing earthworks for the embankments and drainage earthworks under the main playing field.

“Building begins shortly after that excavating the foundation. The artificial carpet they will lay has already arrived from overseas.”

Fraser Park Community Trust chairman Brent Isbister says the final $250,000 is being raised.

* The Timaru Report: Infrastructure redevelopment projects to further boost sport

* Fraser Park Trust whittling down money needed for $7.8m Timaru redevelopment

Old stands on the southern side of the ground including the “glass tower” and the eastern stand have been demolished and the ex-classroom union offices removed to a new life at Seadown, to make way for the multi-sport, not just rugby, facility.

A new playing surface of natural and artificial grass will be installed. A 2038m² building with changing rooms, lounge bar, corporate box, meeting rooms and seating for 288 spectators will be built on the northern Church Street side of the ground and embankments reshaped.

No senior rugby will be played at Fraser Park this winter with the redevelopment under way.

Isbister said the project’s main contractor, Rooney Group, was becoming more available for the work as the large retail development on the Showgrounds hill entered its final stages.

“We’re hoping to finish by late October, but it might be a fraction behind that.”

Of the project’s total cost of $8.3m, Isbister said $250,000 still had to be raised.

How the new Fraser Park multisport stadium will look once completed.

“We’ve been going to the public for that; we’ve been very well-supported by many groups and are very happy to be at the stage we’ve got.”

When the trust announced the development in August 2018, the cost of the project was predicted to be $3.6m, less than half the present cost, with a completion date by 2020.

However, Covid-19 presented challenges with increased costs for materials and delays. In June last year the trust said the project cost had increased by more than $500,000.

In October, a newly elected Timaru District Council voted unanimously to give $500,000 to the trust after the previous council declined any further grants or loans just the month before. The council had earlier committed to providing $905,000 from its stimulus fund.

The council’s chief financial officer Azoora Ali had recommended in a report to the meeting that it maintain the stance taken in September and not provide the extra $500,000 funding.

Before agreeing to give the $500,000 the council was told by the project redevelopment manager Phillipa Guerin that if the money was not forthcoming the trust would have to repay a major funder $550,000 the next day.

With Fraser Park out of action due to the development, club grounds will host senior rugby this season, as happened last winter, including the end of season interprovincial Heartland matches.

“It was very successful last season I believe, and we’ve put it out to the clubs to find out who would like to host Heartland games,” South Canterbury Rugby Union’s newly appointed chief executive Tim Hyde-Smith said.

South Canterbury has also been given a challenge for the Ranfurly Shield against holders, Wellington.

“That will be on July 19, but it has not been confirmed where in Wellington it will be.

“The women’s World Cup soccer will be on at the same time. I believe because South Canterbury won the Meads Cup, we get a challenge.

“We’ve had to rework our club season. The senior semifinals will be on July 15, the shield match on July 19, then a weekend off and the club finals on July 29.”

Last Saturday the Crusaders and Highlanders Development teams played at Pleasant Point with several South Canterbury Heartland players also turning out. The teams will return to Pleasant Point for a second match on March 11.