0:00
/
0:00

Paid episode

The full episode is only available to paid subscribers of The New Zealand Reporter

Church Corner Memorial Park: Local Board Unaware Former Spagalimis Presents Risk To Life

19 February 2024. The New Zealand Reporter is a digital member of The NZ Media Council.

A proposed memorial park’s creation on council land is in limbo, after news of an earthquake-prone building reached the Waipuna Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board.

“…I visited the site yesterday and saw that the site is fenced-off and one wall has been tagged on a building at 374 Riccarton Road (formerly Spagalimis) that has been deemed earthquake-prone to only meet 20% or less of the New Building Standard. I assume this is what NBS stands for.

Please let me know where the project is at, whether 374 Riccarton Road poses a threat to the project and any other comment you'd like to make.”

The NZR to Riccarton Councillor, Tyla Harrison-Hunt.

Harrison-Hunt responded “I’ll get back to you on this. From what I understand its ready to go.”

The proposed site is located in Church Corner at 372 Riccarton Road and was formerly home to the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library.

That building has been demolished in March 2024 to make way for the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Park.

According to a council worker, the responsibility for the land was transferred to Council parks, who completed a detailed public consultation last year.

Left: a damaged ceiling (Lewis and Barrow Ltd engineers); Right: the building's location. The proposed park is located to the right.

As far back as March 2022 the board asked staff to “investigate options for the development of the site as a memorial reserve.

In September 2023, Lewis & Barrow Limited engineers were engaged to complete a “detailed seismic assessment” of the neighbouring building (formerly Spagalimis restaurant). It is unclear whether the council required this report.

The former Spagalimis building; the earthquake-prone notice; the proposed nextdoor site for the pocket park; the proposed site.

They gave the building a D-rating and “an overall probable earthquake score of 24% NBS [National Building Standard]…”. The D-rating meant it presented “a high life safety risk”.

Photos of the former Spagalimis building. Source: Lewis and Barrow Limited. On left: the block wall facing the proposed park and photos showing damage to the building.

Join The New Zealand Reporter today for just $5. The NZR’s mission is to be the first to find and publish the best news in the country. The NZR is a member of the NZ Media Council and subject to its complaints procedure. Complaints about stories must first be directed in writing to the editor (provide link) within a month of the article being published. If you are not satisfied with the editor’s response, you can complain to the council. You will need to attach a copy of the article complained about and any correspondence you have had with the editor.

Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to The New Zealand Reporter to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.