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After 24 years of hard use, QE II Park is in line for a substantial upgrade.
With around 750 000 visits each year, Christchurch's premier recreation facility is part way through renovations which will carry it well into the next century.
QE II manager Alan Direen is overseeing the changes.
"QE II is a wonderful asset. This redevelopment will help unlock some of the stadium's great potential and ensure more people are attracted to use the place. In planning the alterations, the emphasis is on customer service, easy access and enjoyment. `Fun' is the key word," he said.
Since it was built for the 1974 Commonwealth Games, the Christchurch City Council facility has seen many outstanding events.
"As well as providing recreational facilities for swimmers, squash players and fitness, the park has hosted events ranging from rock concerts to school sports days, from greyhound race meetings to international swim carnivals to children's birthday parties to world athletics records.
"When completed, the additions to QEII will cover all these activities and provide scope for more," said Alan Direen.
New construction at the park includes a new foyer, swim shop, cafe, school of gymnastics, provincial standard cricket pitch and recreational pool.
Inside the main stadium, improvements already completed include upgraded changing rooms, additional showers, refurbished stand seating and new media rooms.
Meanwhile, in the pool complex, the four pools will be refurbished, the gyms and creche expanded to cater for greater demand and therapeutic massage added to the range of services on offer to reflect a growing emphasis on sports medicine.
Alan Direen believes greater use of the facility will follow the refurbishment.
"The changes will enable us to bring more prestigious events to Christchurch. For example, after some successful recent concerts, interest has grown considerably in the park as a concert venue.
"In 1996 an international music industry magazine rated QE II in the top ten concert venues in the world in the under 40, 000 capacity category. That endorsement can only help attract big acts. The other changes will bring other types of events, to put QEII back in its rightful position as one of the top venues in the South Island," he said.