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Antigua Street, from Moorhouse Avenue to St Asaph Street, will get a makeover ahead of the opening of Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre.

The upgrade will span the block of the state-of-the-art facility, which is due to open in late 2025. 

An Antigua Street upgrade has been planned since 2021, with construction now programmed from May to November this year. 

The road and western footpath will be reconstructed, and the temporary cycle lanes will be upgraded to separated cycleways in both directions, connecting with existing cycleways at either end. The watermain will also be renewed and upgraded in size, and streetscaping will be completed. 

“We’re upgrading the road and water infrastructure at the same time because the pipes were due to be replaced, so it’s always best to align works when we can,” General Manager of City Infrastructure Brent Smith says.  

“The watermain will be larger compared to the existing pipes, helping to meet increasing demand for water supply, including from Parakiore. 

“Likewise, the new cycleways will make Parakiore easily accessible for cyclists, while also providing a permanent and safe cycling connection for one of our busiest cycleways, Quarryman’s Trail, to the cycleways on St Asaph Street (eastbound) and Tuam Street (westbound).” 

The Quarryman’s Trail Major Cycle Route, which spans from Halswell Road to Moorhouse Avenue, is one of the city’s most popular cycleways, with a cycle counter on Antigua Street south of Moorhouse Avenue showing use by approximately 1000–1200 cyclists every day.

“We’ll be gaining some road space from Parakiore land on the west side where the new footpath will be constructed, and on-street parking will be removed from the east side. This also helps with safety by providing clearer sightlines from driveways,” Mr Smith says.

On-street parking will be available on the west side of the road.

Investigation works to locate the positions of services under the road will begin on 18 May with night closures over five nights (7pm to 6am). 

Then a temporary northbound one-way system will be in place from 26 May to early November, to ensure the safety of road users and contractors while work is underway. 

Find more information on the Council’s website about the Antigua Street project and about Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre.

To explore all the cycle connections in the city, view the Christchurch Bike Map here.