Council tight-lipped on Aorangi Park tenders

Tuesday, 24 December 2024

An artist’s impression of the new Aorangi Stadium.

Almost three months since tenders closed for the redevelopment of Aorangi Park, the council will not say how many it got or discuss any details surrounding the project.

The Timaru District Council went to the market in July, calling for tenders for two options for the redevelopment of Aorangi Park.

The two options, which were listed on the Government’s online tenders service, Gets, were for the repair and refurbishment of the existing stadium and build of a new six-court indoor stadium, or the design and build of a new 10-court indoor stadium with additional outdoor courts.

Tenders closed on September 24, the same day The Timaru Herald asked the council how many it had received for each option, how many had come from local companies, how many from outside the Timaru District and how many from outside South Canterbury.

Six days later, the council’s general manager corporate and communications, Stephen Doran, responded and said the tender evaluation process was under way and it was best practice “that it remains confidential to all parties until this is complete”.

The council voted to explore options to retain the existing stadium at Aorangi Park during the public-excluded meeting on November 15.

“They’ll then present all tenders and the recommended option to the tenders and procurement committee.”

He said that was likely to be at the committee meeting on November 5.

“We can let you know more details once this process is complete.”

The Timaru Herald replied, asking if the council could “not even confirm the number” it had received, to which Doran replied: “Not at this stage I’m afraid.”

The meeting on November 5 was cancelled, with the reason listed as “no agenda items”.

Then, at an extraordinary council meeting on November 15, which was held behind closed doors, the council made the decision to award a contract to Timaru-based company Thompson Construction and Engineering to design and build a new eight-court indoor stadium.

Councillor Stacey Scott was not allowed to vote on the Aorangi Park project following an investigation into a coffee date she had with the boss of an engineering firm which did not tender for the job.

That vote went through by the narrowest of margins, with the council issuing a statement later that day which said a motion to accept the tender had been tied four votes to four, and only went through on the mayor’s casting vote.

Mayor Nigel Bowen, deputy mayor Scott Shannon and councillors Peter Burt and Owen Jackson voted in favour, and councillors Allan Booth, Gavin Oliver, Stu Piddington and Michelle Pye against. Councillors Sally Parker and Stacey Scott did not vote.

Parker attended the meeting online, and was not present for the vote. She told The Timaru Herald the reason for that was the extraordinary meeting had been called when she had a pre-existing commitment, so she could only attend online until noon.

The council’s chief executive, Nigel Trainor, was also absent from the meeting and five councillors attended via Zoom.

Scott was not allowed to vote after an inquiry was launched after she was spotted having coffee with an unrelated engineering firm’s boss.

Scott told The Timaru Herald that person was a friend and the company he worked for did not tender for the Aorangi Park work. She also said she would have voted against the motion as she did not believe there was enough information.

Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen used his casting vote to get the Aorangi Park decision across the line.

The statement also said the council had voted to explore options to retain the current Aorangi Events Centre (known as the Southern Trust Events Centre) and do earthquake strengthening where required.

It was not known how councillors came to select an option that differed from the two options it sought tenders for, or whether any other tenders were presented.

That was not addressed in the council issued statement, but Bowen did say: “As the tender was in scope and in budget … I thought that now was the time [to] just get on with the project”.

“While there may have been some disagreement around the table around the details of it, I think as a council we’re united in wanting to deliver an excellent facility for the community.”

On December 12, the council was asked again about the project, including whether it had received any tenders, if it was concerned by a lack of tenders and why it had not been upfront about the numbers when asked in September.

The council responded: “The proposal from Thompson came in through the tender process.”

Asked for an update again on December 17, the council said: “We’re still in final negotiations over the details of the contract, so won’t be making any further comment until that is completed.”