Historic Hanmer building restoration hit by rising costs
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
The restoration of an historic Hanmer Springs building remains on track, despite a budget blowout.
The Hurunui District Council will seek a $300,00 grant from the Rata Foundation towards a $425,000 funding shortfall for the restoration of the former Soldiers’ Block in the Queen Mary Historic Reserve.
The Soldiers’ Block was opened in 1916 to rehabilitate soldiers returning from World War I, and was later used as a drug and alcohol treatment facility, while the site also has cultural significance for Ngāti Kurī.
Speaking at Tuesday’s (August 27) council meeting, chief strategy and community officer Judith Batchelor said the project budget has been revised to $3.6 million, after just under $3.18m was budgeted in the council’s 2023 annual plan.
She said the funding shortfall was due to expected increases in materials costs and changes to the heating system, while the removal of linings and floor coverings revealed structural elements which were not shown on the original building plans.
The remaining $125,000 will be funded from the Queen Mary Development Contributions Fund.
The funding will allow the first two stages of the project to be completed, with the building on track to reopen on Anzac Day next year.
Stage one is earthquake strengthening and bringing the building to code, while stage two will see the main hall reinstated for community use.
The long-term vision will be to establish a museum with an interactive experience called ‘‘A Place of Light and Life’’, which will tell the story of the site.
But it will require the community to raise a further $6 million and discussions have begun around creating a temporary exhibition.
Batchelor said conversations have already been held with the Rata Foundation.
‘‘Our conversations with Rata have been around how we can keep the story alive during the different stages of the project.
‘‘We have a video and bed and I’m confident we can get our hands on more information for the exhibition space to provide a wet weather activity and an educational opportunity for the 15,000 school children that visit Hanmer Springs.’’
The council also approved the use of $430,000, from interest accrued from the Queen Mary Development Contributions Fund, to help kick start fundraising efforts for the next stage.
Hanmer Springs councillor Tom Davies said developing the Queen Mary Historic Reserve, including the Soldiers’ Block, is ‘‘a key anchor project for Hanmer Springs’’.
‘‘The support of the locals is just amazing,’’ he said.
‘‘I have been lucky enough to have a look inside a couple of times and now that the panels have been removed you can see the architectural genius of the building.
‘‘It is an absolute gem for Hurunui and it will be something we can be so proud of when it is finished.’’
The $3.6m restoration project is being funded by a Lotteries grant, $1.5m from the Government’s Better Off funding, development contributions and a grant from the council’s Earthquake Prone Buildings Fund.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.
Would you like a free copy of our February 2025 issue?
Kia ora neighbours. We give away free copies to readers whose recipes are used in our magazine. We're still on the hunt for tomato recipes, so send your family's favourite way to use up your homegrown harvest, to: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. If we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of the mag
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