Building work on the project to restore the Theatre Royal and build a new museum will kick off on Monday following the appointment of Hawkins to lead the work.

Timaru District Council awarded the contract to proceed with the construction of the combined Timaru Theatre Royal, laneway and museum project to Hawkins Ltd, at Tuesday’s [January 27] Council meeting.

Mayor Nigel Bowen said that it was fantastic that the project to deliver these cultural assets would be getting underway.

“From the feedback of the tender team Hawkins have clearly done their homework on understanding the project. Not only have they described a unique delivery method in their tender submission, that meets the budgets and timeframes we requested,” he said.

“Importantly for us as council, they have also made a commitment to maximising the use of local resources and suppliers as well as investing in opportunities for training for young people, which was a key requirement for any winning tender.”

Hawkins Limited will be moving on to site next week [week commencing Monday February 2, 2026] and the construction is scheduled for completion by 31 December 2026.

“With this project and the stadium projects now underway these major investments will deliver fantastic new facilities for our current and future sports stars, provide an amazing venue for local and touring shows and enable us to protect and share our cultural heritage.

“Our confidence in investing in our city will also give confidence to others to do likewise and help redefine it as a fantastic place to live, work and play.

“It’s going to be an exciting year as we see these projects take shape.”

After Hawkins has completed the construction phase, specialised contractors will carry out the final fitout of both venues before opening to the public, scheduled for early April 2027.

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