New Zealand / Natural Disasters

Christchurch Adventure Park to reopen on Friday, 22 March

14:50 pm on 15 March 2024

Fire spreads towards Christchurch Adventure Park on 15 February. Photo: RNZ / Charlotte Cook

Christchurch Adventure Park will reopen next Friday following a month-long closure because of the Port Hills fire.

The Valentine's Day fire burned through 650 hectares and spread into part of the park.

The park's manager said the chair lift and zipline cables have passed safety inspections. Most downhill mountain bike trails were unaffected.

"We are busy in the park, tidying trails and putting the chairs back onto the lift line in preparation for reopening again," Anne Newman said on Friday.

"We are very fortunate that we will be able to reopen with pretty much all attractions back on offer."

The park will reopen in time for Easter and the April school holidays.

"We cannot wait to see the park buzzing with activity again, and we are so grateful to the emergency response crews and to our own team for the incredible work they have done to make that possible," Newman said.

The fire, which started in mid-February, forced the cancellation of mountain biking event, the Crankworx Summer Series.

The park was also devastated by fire in 2017, and it took almost a year before it was able to open again. The damage to the park in the recent fire was not nearly as bad.