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New Changing Rooms For North Hagley Park

“Having our own changing sheds and showers will help our girls to prepare well for the games without worrying about what the boys are doing.”
Anna Livingstone, Senior Girls Head Coach
“Having changing block and showers nearby for our TRI Rugby teams for players with physical challenges is literally a ‘game changer’ as it will allow them to get changed in a safe environment. The new facilities will also be available to all teams playing in weekly competitions, tournaments, and training.”
Al McLennan, Trustee

NZCT has granted $100,000 to the North Hagley Community Sports & Recreation Trust, Christchurch, for new changing room facilities at North Hagley Park.

Acting Secretary and Funding Coordinator Nigel Georgieff said, "There was no facility on North Hagley Park for the huge number of players, including an increasing number of females who take part in the various sporting codes on the park. The previous changing rooms were located in nearby Ayr St, which have now closed and they were no longer fit for use, with no female or disabled facilities, and only one communal shower block shared by all. The rugby club had at the Christchurch City Council (CCC) suggestion in 2012 to taken over the old bowls site on Riccarton Avenue and this was agreed to by the Rugby Club. It is now owned and utilised by the North Hagley Community Sports & Recreation Trust. Rugby, Gaelic Football and Touch all use the changing facilities and another football code is looking to move to the Park too."

A community plan was agreed with CCC that met the needs of the various sports, including six changing sheds with their own showers, unisex and disabled persons’ toilets, and a medical treatment room. Each shed will have four showers in separate cubicles, so male and female players will no longer have to share them. This will create a much more comfortable and safer environment for all players and management.

'While our club was happy to contribute financially, our resources are limited and this significant support from NZCT has helped to motivate our members to provide whatever they can with what little they have.'
Acting Secretary and Funding Coordinator Nigel Georgieff

The Clubrooms is a significant asset to Hagley Park, with magnificent views, plenty of public car parking, and beautifully maintained grounds. While our club was happy to contribute financially, our resources are limited and this significant support from NZCT has helped to motivate our members to provide whatever they can with what little they have. The project was completed with funding grants and the commitment of HSOB RFC to underwrite the shortfall and complete the project.

High School Old Boys RFC is one of New Zealand's most distinguished rugby clubs, with a proud tradition stretching back over a century to 1901, when a group of seventy dedicated players signed a groundbreaking collective agreement. Over the years, we’ve grown our ranks and developed our resources. Now, as one of the largest senior clubs in the Canterbury province, we compete with distinction across all grades - Division 1-4, Classics, Colts Premiers, Colts Reserves, and Women’s.

From our inception, the Old Boys Club provided some of this country's leading rugby players. We have a reputation as one of the most successful rugby clubs in Aotearoa for producing All Blacks and take pride in how we cultivate, care for, and celebrate talent no matter what size or shape it comes in. We provide an inclusive and supportive rugby culture to the local community and beyond.

The Trust was formed by HSOB RFC, North Hagley Touch Association, Christchurch Pétanque, and United Croquet clubs, with the assistance of the CCC. We have since added Gaelic Football and Te Kura United Tennis Club to our roster. The rugby club also regularly play in the Patagonia Cup, sending a squad to Argentina for this prestigious international competition. Potentially, over two thousand players will use these clubroom facilities over one hundred days every year.