Christchurch losing crucial landmarks

Photo / Simon Baker

Christchurch has been struck fresh blows, with the city's home of rugby out of action for at least another year and a key money-making venue set to be demolished.

Engineers for the Christchurch City Council have recommended demolition for the Christchurch Convention Centre - which hosts large-scale events worth tens of millions of dollars a year to the city - and the Hadlee Stand at AMI Stadium, because of earthquake damage.

The lingering doubts about the rest of AMI Stadium means that no rugby will be played there for a second year running in 2012, leaving the Crusaders rugby franchise having to line up a new Christchurch base in the next few weeks.

The Hadlee Stand is named in honour of the famous Hadlee cricketing family, including the great Sir Richard Hadlee. Sir Richard was unaware of the demolition plan when contacted by the Herald yesterday, and said there was not much he could say in response to it.

"It's disappointing for the stand to have to come down, but if it is damaged, the reality is that it's the sensible thing to do. We'll have to wait and see if a replacement stand will in fact be built ... and whether it does in fact bear our name.

"The point is that whatever is there has to be safe for everybody - so we've got to respect the decision that has been made by the professionals. It's just one of those things."

Canterbury Rugby Union chief executive Hamish Riach said it was sad to learn the stadium would be out of action again next year, after the Crusaders had to travel for every match in the recently completed Super 15 season.

"We are utterly determined to have the Crusaders play in Christchurch next year - that's our primary goal. We think this team should be playing in front of its home fans," Mr Riach said.

Options for a new ground included the city's smaller Rugby League Park and Rugby Park, or suitable areas of bare land. Getting a new ground ready would "quickly run into the millions", and help would be needed from fundraising, the rugby community or from the business community.

"We have a matter of weeks to solve our problem, as opposed to many months. No solution is obvious or easy or ideal." On the future of the stadium, Christchurch city councillor Sue Wells said: "We are not yet in a position to say if the entire thing can or will be rebuilt."

Some of the options for fixing the liquefaction-damaged ground beneath the stands were "quite unusual". Further engineering reports were expected within the next couple of months.

Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism chief executive Tim Hunter said the convention centre was important to Christchurch, and the city had done well out of it financially.

Tourism driven by conferences and conventions was worth between $80 million and $100 million a year to Christchurch, with the conference visitor spending about three times as much cash as the general leisure traveller. Losing the centre would be a serious blow. The next question would be what replaced it, Mr Hunter said.