CPB Contractors’ Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre project has been recognised as a finalist in the 2026 New Zealand Property Industry Awards in the Tourism and Leisure category. Recognised for its achievements in sustainability and community impact, the Christchurch facility is New Zealand’s largest combined aquatic and indoor recreation facility.
Measuring over 30,000m2, the inclusive centre features a 10-lane, 50-metre competition pool, a diving pool with a 10-metre tower, five hydroslides including the country's first trapdoor waterslide, an aquatic sensory experience for people with disabilities, nine indoor courts, a central show court, fitness and movement studios and more.
Parakiore is designed not just for elite sports, but to be accessible to the community and to people of all ages, abilities and needs, representing a true social and wellbeing milestone in the city’s recovery.
In a significant win for sustainability, the team designed the centre to recover wastewater energy to simultaneously produce chilled and heated water for pool and building operations, offsetting around 3 MW of energy that would otherwise need to be generated.
The mechanical system harnesses renewable energy from the nearby Southern Interceptor wastewater line, diverting it through a pump station, macerator and heat exchanger. On the other side of the exchanger, the building’s mechanical water system captures this heat to meet the aquatic centre’s high heating demands.
Further to significant strides in sustainability, the centre is built to address Christchurch’s earthquake-prone and liquefaction-prone ground by using 8,000 stone columns driven 12-metres deep - the largest implementation of its kind in New Zealand.
Congratulations to the entire project team for this well-deserved recognition.