6 March 2017

Exploratory work starts beside Town Hall

Exploratory ground testing work starts this week as part of the preparations for the proposed earthquake strengthening of the Town Hall.

Paving will be lifted in Wakefield Street and the walkway between the Town Hall and Michael Fowler Centre, allowing a jet vacuum ‘sucker’ truck to remove earth to reveal any vital services and cabling.

The next step will be to put down probes, bores and other test equipment to check ground conditions that will help guide the design of the building’s new foundations.

“It’s good to see exploratory work getting underway to find out more about what will be needed to bring this historic building back to life,” Wellington City Council Chief Executive Kevin Lavery says.

The Council, Victoria University of Wellington and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra are continuing negotiations and planning for a proposed national music centre based in and around the Town Hall. Those discussions are expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

Work will also begin this week to install temporary props that will allow controlled access to the Council’s Civic Administration Building (CAB).

“This propping will be installed on all levels of the building including under the walkway in front of the CAB on Wakefield Street,” says Mr Lavery.

This work is likely to take 4-5 weeks to complete. Once the propping is in place a relocation company will remove selected items and equipment from the building.

It will be some months before a decision on the long-term future of the CAB can be made.

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