John MacDonald: Stadium loo fighters - not the best seat in the house

First world problems and all that but, is it really ok to make people use portaloos outside Christchurch’s new $683 million One NZ Stadium?

Some people who were in the general admission standing area at Saturday night’s “Once in a Lifetime” concert don’t think so.

And I agree.

As you may have heard - or found out yourself if you were there on Saturday night - people who didn’t have seats but were standing on the pitch on front of the stage weren’t allowed to access the toilets or the food outlets inside the stadium.

And they had to use the temporary toilets outside and buy food from vendors outside, as well.

So, combine a trip to the portaloo and then another queue to get a drink or some food and you can see why some people are saying today that they missed some of the performances because of how long it all took.

Venues Ōtautahi, which runs the stadium, says this was always part of the plan. Which it may well have been. But is it good enough?

I don’t think it is.

And here’s the irony. As far as general admission standing ticketholders go, the toilet facilities at the temporary stadium were better than they are at the new stadium.

At Apollo Projects, there’s those portacom toilet arrangements. Not ideal either. But give me that any day over a portaloo.

What’s more, at the temporary stadium, everyone was in the same boat. Or on the same loo.

Same with the food outlets. Everyone got the same access. There wasn’t this two-tier situation going on.

And, when you consider the fact that $683 million has been spent on this new venue, you wouldn’t expect portaloos to be part of the equation, would you?

I certainly didn’t.

The tricky thing is, the stadium has been so long in the making and most of us are excited as that it’s up and running.

Excited about the sports and concert events we’re going to enjoy there.

Not to mention the money it’s going to being into Christchurch with all that new activity.

And, because of that, complaining about it so soon after the thing has opened feels like a bit of an elephant in the room moment.

Should we say anything or not?

Well, even though I’m a huge stadium fan, I think we should.

And I know some people will say it’s just a communication issue and as soon as everyone’s aware that’s what the situation is everyone will be sweet with it.

But I don’t think that at all. Because, on Saturday night, the people in the general admission standing area were lucky it wasn’t raining.

What use is a stadium with a roof if a truckload of people have to queue in the rain to go to the loo? With the flash Harry loos inside taped off.

Or queue in the rain to get something to eat and drink.

Stadium boss Caroline Harvie-Teare, from Venues Ōtautahi, is saying today that the stadium was designed for 25,000 people and to allow for bigger crowds at large concerts, creating an external precinct has “always been part of the plan”.

She says: “It's just how the building has been designed, so it's not a choice that Venues Ōtautahi have made.”

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Is it really okay to make people use porterloos outside
our new six hundred and eighty three million dollar one
New Zealand Stadium? Is it okay? Some people who were
in the general admission standing area it's Saturday nights, once
a lifetime concert, don't think so. And I agree with them,

(00:34):
as you may have heard or found out yourself if
you were there on Saturday night. People who didn't have
seats but were standing on the pitch in front of
the stage the general admission area. They weren't allowed to
access the toilets or the food outlets inside the stadium,
and they had to use the temporary toilets outside. They
also had to buy food from vendors outside the stadium

(00:56):
as well, so combined a trip to the portloo and
then another queue to get a drink or some food,
and you can see why some people are saying today
that they missed some of the performance because of how
long it all took. Now, two of my kids were
there on Saturday night. They queued about half an hour
for a drink outside. They'd heard of people though, who

(01:16):
waited for up to an hour, but Venues Autotahi, which
runs the stadium, says, oh, this was always part of
the plan, always part of the plant, which news to me.
But it may very well have been part of the plan.
But is it good enough. I don't think it is.

(01:37):
And here's the irony. Here's the irony. As far as
general admission ticket holders go. The toilet facilities at the
temporary stadium were better than they are at the new stadium.
At Apollo Projects, there was all those portacom toilet arrangements.
I mean, granted then not ideal either, but give me

(01:59):
that any day over a porterloo. And what's more, at
the temporary stadium, we're all in the same boat. Weren't
we all in the same loo. Didn't matter what tickets
we had, you know, it was a great leveler. Everyone
went to the same toilets, same with the food outlets.
Everyone got the same access. There wasn't this two tier

(02:21):
situation going on. Now. As I said at the start,
this is one of those first world problems. But when
you consider the fact that six hundred and eighty three
million dollars has been spent on this new venue, you
wouldn't well you tell me, But you wouldn't expect Porter
Loose to be part of the equation, would you. Oh,
and I certainly didn't expect it. And the tricky thing is,

(02:45):
and I know that this is tricky. The stadium has
been so long in the making and most of us,
if not all of us, are so excited that it's
up and running, and we're excited about the sports and
the concert events we're going to enjoy there. Not to
mention the money that it's going to bring into christ
Church with all that new activity, and because of that,

(03:09):
complaining about it so soon after the thing has been opened, Well,
it feels about like one of those you know, elephant
in the room moments, doesn't it. You know, should we
say anything or not? Well, even though I'm a huge
stadium fan, I love it, I think we should mention it.

(03:29):
And I know that some people will say, oh, it's
just a communication issue, and as soon as everyone's aware
that that's what the situation is, we'll all be sweet
with it. But I don't think that at all. Why
because on Saturday night, the people in the general admission area,
which is lucky it wasn't raining, you know, what uses
the stadium with a roof, if a truckload of people

(03:50):
have to queue in the rain to go to the
toilet with all the flash hairy toilets taped off to them,
or you know, que in the rain to get something
to eat and drink. Now, Stadium boss Caroline Harvey tear
from venues or to Tahi, who is going to be
with us the sound is saying today that the stadium
was designed for twenty five thousand people and to allow

(04:12):
for bigger crowds at large concerts. Creating an external precinct
has quote always been part of the plan, She says,
it's just how the building has been designed, So it's
not a choice that Venues Autoitarhi have made. End of quote.
But when all is said and done, is it good enough?

Speaker 1 (04:34):
For more from Caterbory Mornings with John McDonald, Listen live
to news Talk Said be christ Church from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.