English Park’s new stadium and soccer pitch was officially opened by Mayor Garry Moore late last month.

The public opening was followed by two soccer matches.

Christchurch City Council’s $2.8 million re-development of English Park was completed in June 2002 but the new pitch was not available for play until February this year.

While the Park is being leased and maintained by Mainland Soccer as a centre for local and regional soccer, the new stadium contains a number of community facilities including a community meeting room, a function room and spaces for a small café and gymnasium.

Usage of the community facilities will be overseen by the English Park Management Committee, which includes representatives from the Shirley/Papanui Community Board, Mainland Soccer, the St Albans Residents Association and St Albans School. One of the aims of the Management Committee is to hold at least one community function on the park each year.

A major benefit of the new development is the increased connection between St Albans School and the park, in particular the improvement it has made to access to the school.

English Park’s popular Saturday morning market remains a fixture in the upgraded car park, which can now also be used for playing basketball and netball.

Opening up and enhancing the park’s natural waterway has made the area more picturesque and created a haven for ducks, which is proving popular with young visitors.

Fletcher Construction was the lead contractor in English Park’s redevelopment.Taggart Construction undertook the earthworks on the site and the Council’s City Solutions Unit took on the project management role. The stadium was designed by City Solutions and Common Ground.