Molyneux Stadium will have $5.63million spent on it over the next nine years to make the aging building fit for purpose.

The Central Otago District Council agreed yesterday to go ahead with a staged investment approach for maintenance and compliance work, starting with roof repairs, external painting and the replacement of external cladding.

An estimated $1.2million has been confirmed in the draft Long-term Plan 2025-34, following a building condition assessment, funded through Vincent Community Board Reserves.

A further $4.430,000 has been approved for earthquake strengthening, required asbestos removal, and fire safety and accessibility compliance work in 2027-28.

Toilets and changing rooms would be replaced in 2028-29 with new acoustic ceiling panels and showers in 2032-33.

“The building has good bones,” Cr Martin McPherson said.

A report from property officer Tara Bates said Molyneux Stadium was a highly utilised community facility with multiple spaces, including a gymnasium, changing rooms, and other rooms leased by local sports organisations. 

A 2020 detailed seismic assessment rated the stadium as under 20 per cent of the New Build Standard (NBS) which meant an increased life safety risk in the event of a major earthquake compared to a new building. 

The building also lacked adequate accommodations for people with disabilities, which meant modifications were required to improve accessibility.

Fire safety systems required upgrades, including alarms, lighting, and potentially a sprinkler system.

Without maintenance, the stadium’s remaining useful life could decrease rapidly, but strategic investment could extend its life by 20-30 years to 50 years.

The overall condition of the building has been assessed as good/moderate. Table 4.1 shows the condition grading scale used for the assessment.

The estimated cost of a new build would be approximately $15 million but not including the demolition and disposal costs of the existing one.

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