Sports fans in Christchurch are getting closer to not having to endure the chill in their temporary stadium in Addington, with funding for the multi-use arena fast tracked.
After strong messages from the public and players, the Crusaders are the ones beaming the most at the latest decision.
"This project was always going to have its day," Crusaders chief executive Hamish Riach said.
"It was never the city’s first priority and we've acknowledged that, but at some point Christchurch needed to deal with the stadium."
The Council's decision to bring forward funding for the multi-purpose arena by two years has been applauded by those who look set to be its cornerstone tenants – even if some like Kieran Read will never get the benefit of playing in it.
"It's not going to be in my lifetime playing, but awesome to take the kids along to concerts and rugby," he said.
"It’s great to the whole community down there –it’s a rugby stadium but it’s more than that. It’s for the Christchurch community so it'll be great."
The arena renews hope that Christchurch won't again be snubbed for All Blacks Tests and major crowd-pullers like Ed Sheeran.
Riach said the roof in particular will help reduce those changes significantly.
"The thing that the roof does is it makes it genuinely multi-use so concerts can plan with certainty [as well as] trade shows and exhibitions and meetings and all sorts of community gatherings."
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