Selwyn Sports Centre (Foster Park)

About this place

The Selwyn Sports Centre is a large indoor sport and recreation facility at 70 Broadlands Drive, Rolleston, set within Foster Park and opposite the Selwyn Aquatic Centre. Operated by Selwyn District Council, it is roughly 8,000 sqm in floor area, accommodates around 2,500 people, and opened in May 2021. It sits about 2 km from the Rolleston town centre, around 25 minutes from Christchurch.

Spaces

• John F. Reid Courts — four wooden sprung courts.
• Selwyn Courts — four polyurethane courts. Court 8 carries the Lu Uno interactive wall, described by the council as the first of its kind in New Zealand.
• The Pavilion — a multi-purpose function and group-fitness room with a full-sized kitchen.
• The Dugout — a multi-purpose room with a kitchenette, usable as one space or divided into two.
• A range of smaller meeting rooms, which the council suggests as green rooms for performers or break rooms for event staff.

Other facilities include a 240 m elevated walking track, a spin room, a sports house and a dedicated event control room.

Event capability

The eight courts give a very large clear-span floor, which is the venue's main asset for business events — exhibitions, trade shows, expos, large-scale examinations, community and sporting events, and productions requiring open floor area. The Pavilion and Dugout provide catered and seated spaces alongside, with the smaller meeting rooms available for breakouts, organiser offices or speaker prep. Kitchens in both the Pavilion and Dugout support catering arrangements.

Access and parking

There are more than 190 car parks on site, including accessible parking. Hire enquiries are handled directly by the sports centre team at Selwyn District Council.

Suitability for MICE

Selwyn Sports Centre is best suited to exhibitions, trade shows, expos and large gatherings rather than boardroom-style corporate meetings — it is a modern sports facility with function rooms attached, not a conference centre. For organisers running a Canterbury-wide expo, a regional sporting event with an associated conference component, or a large community event with plenty of parking, it is one of the larger flat-floor options outside Christchurch. Compare with central Christchurch venues when a fitted-out conference space is required.