Work to upgrade Bower Park and regenerate the Lake Kate Sheppard area in Christchurch’s red zone has been postponed, with construction now expected to begin in 2027. The project, initially slated to commence in mid-2026, covers a 36-hectare section of Burwood in the city’s northeast, bordered by Anzac Drive, QEII Drive, Travis Road, New Brighton Road, and Bower Avenue.
The Christchurch City Council (CCC) plans to expand Bower Park at the eastern end of the site, adding new sporting facilities, playgrounds, and parking, while closing unused roads and enhancing pedestrian and cycling pathways. The ecological restoration will focus on the wetlands and lake surroundings, with approximately 45,000 native plants to be established over a 13-hectare area.
Following public consultation last year, the council approved a design that includes adjustments based on community feedback. These changes involved relocating the play area eastward to improve visibility and re-routing a path to separate recreational use from sensitive ecological zones. CCC and Environment Canterbury have now submitted a resource consent application necessary to proceed.
Rupert Bool, the council’s head of parks, said the project timeline is contingent on the consent process. He indicated that the council aims to issue tenders for the work late this year, with construction starting next year, although the overall schedule has been revised to reflect the delay. The project's budget remains confidential at this stage due to commercial sensitivities and pending contracts.
The regeneration initiative aligns with the Ōtākaro Avon River Regeneration Plan (OARP), approved by the Government in 2019 to guide development in the red zone. Lake Kate Sheppard itself is a man-made flood control lake on the former Kate Sheppard retirement village site, connecting the Avon River and Travis Wetland. Despite subsidence caused by earthquakes, the lake will remain unchanged as a regional park.
The project will be completed in stages, beginning with Bower Park. Planned modifications include relocating existing sports fields westward to improve drainage, constructing a new car park off Willryan Avenue to replace the current informal gravel area, and building new toilet and changing facilities. The existing playground will be replaced with swings, slides, a flying fox, and a bike skills area, with provisions for a future bike jump section. Pedestrian routes will link the play area with adjacent streets, and buffer planting and earth mounds will be introduced to enhance the landscape.
The resource consent documents note the presence of 57 protected bird species and native skinks in the area, requiring authorisation under the Wildlife Act before some works can proceed. Separately, as part of fulfilling the OARP, a proposal to construct 22 kilometers of stopbanks and 18 pumping stations along the Avon River will be considered under the Government’s fast-track resource consent scheme.