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concrete
Eden Park and Stadium Christchurch
Upgrade Gather Pace for 2011
New Zealand recently celebrated ‘Two Years to Go’ until the opening match of the
upcoming Rugby World Cup between the All Blacks and Tonga on Sept 9 2011. The
countdown is also underway for stadia redevelopments around the country, an undertaking
Firth Industries is assisting to complete by supplying concrete for Eden Park and Stadium
Christchurch.
Auckland’s Eden Park
The Eden Park redevelopment involves
construction of a new permanent
three-tier 21,500 seat South stand; 50
new corporate boxes; a new, unroofed,
two-tier east stand (replacing the
eastern terraces) with 8,600 capacity;
and the extension of the ASB stand
with a 2,000 seat lower bowl (replacing
the Panasonic stand) - increasing
capacity from 45,000 to 60,000
people.
“Fletcher Construction is the main
contractor for the project and are
utilising Dominion Constructors to do
the concrete structure works,” says
Marc Hainen, Chief Operating Officer
Firth Northern.
“Firth is supplying approximately
10,000m³ of in-situ concrete to
Dominion Constructors which is
keeping Firth’s Auckland branches at
Stadium Christchurch upgrade scheduled for completion in January 2010
Leonard Road and Hamer Street very
busy,” he says.
“Firth has also supplied considerable
volume of concrete indirectly on this
project to Concretec,” says Hainen.
“Concretec New Zealand Ltd is the
pre-cast manufacturer supplying
selected pre-cast sections for the Eden
Park redevelopment and these are also
made from Firth concrete.”
Most of the structure on the main
stand has been completed and work is
now beginning on the new East stand,
which will replace the old terraces. The
project is on track to be completed well
before the World Cup begins in 2011.
Stadium Christchurch
The three old eastern stands being
replaced at Stadium Christchurch had
reached the end of their structural life
and construction of a new stand began
in July 2008.
The new stand will be named “The
Deans Stand” in honour of the Deans
family, which has had connections
with Canterbury rugby for more than
100 years. It will seat 13,420 people,
increasing the capacity from 36,000 to
39,830.
The roof of the new stand will be
larger than the other main stand
in the stadium providing cover to
approximately 80% of the seating area.
“Firth has supplied a total of 6000m3 of concrete to Fletcher Construction
and their various subcontractors,”
says Dominic Sutton, Area Manager
for Firth Canterbury/West Coast. “The
final structure pours for the stadium are
now underway, and site works outside
the stadium have begun.”
Firth has provided technical expertise
to the project including adding special
shrinkage reducing admixtures to the
concrete. Sutton playfully adds, “While
we haven’t done any red and black
(Canterbury rugby colours) concrete
we’ve been quite tempted.”
Gordon Murdoch, Project Manager on
the project for Fletcher Construction,
comments, “Progress is going well
on the project and about 70% of the
stadium structure and 50% of the roof
has been completed.”
Still to complete is a lounge at level
three behind the stadium, a ramp
providing access into the stadium
and a concourse at level one. The
concourse will run from the new Deans
stand right around to the existing
Hadlee, Tui and Paul Kelly Stands
enabling event goers to walk a full 360
degrees around the stadium.
The targeted date for completion of the
upgrade of Stadium Christchurch is set
for January 2010.