Timaru District Council and Sport Canterbury staff are moving back into Aorangi Stadium, after the building has been out of bounds for three months.

Seismic strengthening and fire system upgrades of the existing Aorangi Stadium have been completed - allowing recreation staff and stadium users back into the building, while work continues on the $24.2m Aorangi Park redevelopment.

Timaru District Council Recreation Facilities General Manager Mike Wrigley said It will be good to have to have staff back in the facility.

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

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

The Certificate of Public Use (CPU) was issued to Timaru company Thompson Construction and Engineering in the first week of January and they are handing the building back to Timaru District Council this afternoon [12 January]. Sport Canterbury will be moving back next week.

The works undertaken when the stadium was handed over to Thompson Construction and Engineering on 1 October 2025.

The certificate allows safe use of the existing stadium, while works continue on the preparation for the new link and eight court stadium buildings.

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