December 2020
The heaviest lift in the construction of any Anchor Project to date has been carried out at Christchurch’s Metro Sports Facility, with the installation of the first 63-tonne roof truss section.
Ōtākaro Limited Chief Executive, John Bridgman, says the 43-metre-long roof truss section weighs the same as ten African elephants and is one of five sections that will span the Facility’s competition pool.
“It takes two cranes working in tandem to manoeuvre some of these roof sections into place, within a tolerance of a few millimetres. The weather conditions need to be near perfect to move what is close to a steel sail, as safety is a top priority.
With eleven pools and spas it’s little wonder the roof over the aquatics side of the Metro Sports Facility is so large. With the roof trusses already in place for the neighbouring show court, you can now see why this is going to be one of the most significant sporting venues in the country.
This steel installation will continue along Antigua Street into the new year, alongside similar work around the six community courts, which extend towards Moorhouse Avenue.”
Construction of the Metro Sports Facility is expected to be completed towards the end of 2022.
