The Star: February 21, 2019

8 Thursday February 21 2019
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
The Star
Quake anniversary
Town hall refurbished and getting
REPAIR TIMELINE
June 2015 – The city council
votes to fully repair and
restore the earthquakedamaged
town hall at a cost
of $127.5 million instead of
building a new 1500-seat
auditorium and 600-seat
theatre at a cost of $193.5
million.
November 2015 – Work to
strengthen the town hall’s
badly damaged foundations
begins.
June 2016 – As part of its
2016/17 Annual Plan, the city
council adjusts the budget
for the town hall to $133.1
million to take into account
inflation.
July 2017 – Agreement is
given, in principle, for the
Cambridge Room to be
rebuilt as a purpose-built
facility for the Christchurch
Symphony Orchestra.
May 2018 – The city council
approves additional budget
for improvements to the
town hall, bringing the total
to $152.2 million.
December 2018 – An
additional $15 million was
approved by city councillors,
taking the final budget to
$167 million.
The eighth anniversary
tomorrow of the
February 22, 2011,
earthquake coincides
with public open days
at the town hall this
weekend. Julia Evans
reports on its $167
million restoration
THE ORIGINAL curtains have
been washed and rehung,
lighting is back in place, marble
floors cleaned and the restored
town hall is almost ready to reopen
its doors to the public.
The $167 million repair
of the 47-year-old Warren
and Mahoney-building will
be officially opened by Mayor
Lianne Dalziel with architect
Sir Miles Warren and two of
Maurice Mahoney’s greatgrandchildren
helping cut the
ribbon on Saturday.
Public events will be held
over the weekend from noon
for people to visit the Douglas
Lilburn Auditorium, the Avon
Room, the Victoria and Limes
Rooms.
The original white marble,
dark timber and red carpeting
of the 1972 venue has been preserved
– including the Rainbow
Pieces mural by Pat Hanley,
which was commissioned in 1971
by Sir Miles.
Above the main entrance to
the building on Kilmore St,
the city’s coat of arms has been
reinstated.
RESTORED: The $167 million repair of the
Warren and Mahoney-designed town hall is
nearly complete.
Ms Dalziel said she remembers
going to the first open day in
1972.
“I would have been about
12-years-old. I will never forget
that day. I hope you bring your
children and create new memories.”
City councillor and Vbase
board chairman, which runs the
town hall, Tim Scandrett said he
can’t wait for visitors to see the
reopened venue.
“There are so many beautiful
features in the building for
people to be reunited with when
they step back inside. It will be
a place of memories, but it’s also
a venue with fantastic facilities
that will host exciting events
and performances well into the
future.”
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