Aorangi Stadium reopens as $24.2m park redevelopment continues

Tuesday, 13 January 2026

Thompson Construction and Engineering’s site manager, Nathan Tubb, left, hands the keys back to Aorangi Stadium team leader, Sarang Phalke, after a three-month closure that forms part of a $24.2m redevelopment of Aorangi Park.

Seismic strengthening and fire system upgrades of Aorangi Stadium have been completed, allowing recreation staff and stadium users back into the building.

The building was handed back to the Timaru District Council on Monday after a Certificate of Public Use (CPU) was issued to builders Thompson Construction and Engineering last week.

The stadium had been out of bounds since work began on October 1, 2025, as part of the council’s $24.2m Aorangi Park redevelopment.

An artist's impression of how the completed project will look. The existing stadium is in the foreground with the new eight-court stadium at rear.

Timaru District Council and Sport Canterbury staff would return to the building over the next week.

“It will be good to have staff back in the facility,” the Timaru District Council's recreation facilities general manager Mike Wrigley said on Monday.

“We considered the timing of the stadium works to minimise the disruption to our users as much as possible.

Thompson Construction & Engineering’s contract manager Emily Hill-Pitt, and site manager Nathan Tubb check out progress on the $24.2m redevelopment of Aorangi Park.

“I’m really pleased that we can get back to business before schools start back and before teams start training again.”

A council statement said the certificate allows safe use of Aorangi Stadium, while works continue on the preparation for the new link building that will connect it to a new eight court stadium.

Work on the full project began in July 2025 and was expected to be completed by mid-2027.

Once complete, the stadium would, according to Timaru District deputy mayor Scott Shannon, be a “cornerstone of sport and recreation in our district for generations to come”.

The redevelopment was designed, and was being built by Thompson Construction and Engineering.