Architect’s concern

Press, 9 May 1985, Page 5

Architect’s concern

Christchurch had to start recognising the historic importance of its public utility buildings instead of tearing them down, the City Council’s works and traffic committee was told yesterday. An architect, Mr Don Donnithorne, was appearing on behalf of Mr Brian Stephen, who is trying to save the old brick pumping station in two brick cottages near lower Colombo Street. Mr Donnithorne is chairman of the Canterbury regional committee of the Historic Places Trust. His stand was supported by Dr John Wilson, also of the trust.

Cr Maurice Carter, the committee’s chairman, said he had been concerned for some time about the security of the waterworks site. He was also concerned about what might happen during an earthquake if the old building toppled and left the city without workshops to repair a damaged water supply system. Cr Carter said that the site offered “easy access to protest groups and so forth.” A good security system could include scanning of the site’s boundaries by

television cameras. Cr David Close said that discussions about security should be held in committee, and other councillors agreed. A section on security problems at the site was taken out of the pumping station report. Mr Donnithorne said the best security was having people living on the site. Mr Stephen lived in one of the two occupied houses. He said the pumping station was “one of some considerable mer't” and should be retained.

In terms of how the city functioned, the pumping station was as important as the city’s cathedrals and Chamber of Commerce building, said Dr Wilson. No-one would consider demolishing them. Dr Wilson said the pump-

ing station “looks pretty much like a plain brick shed to some. In fact, it is a monument to even earlier amalgamations in the city. It is an example of what could be done.” Cr Close said the council might consider converting the building into a “temple of civic unity.” The City Council wants to build new workshops on the site. Cr Close asked whether other buildings from the early 1900 s could be preserved as examples instead of the pumping station. The committee agreed that a decision on the building’s future should be deferred .until a report from council architects and the Historic Places Trust on such buildings. This years proposed waterworks budget includes

$50,000 for a start on the new workshops project. A waterworks staff report said that many brick buildings of greater character than the pumping station existed in the central city, and several easily seen by the public had been preserved.

An engineering report said it could cost $210,000 to temporarily secure the building and then strengthen it to earthquake standards. Councillors were told there were potential problems in continued use of the brick houses because access to them had to be provided through the pumping station grounds, and that left the waterworks site insecure.

Mr Stephen, a shift engineer at the pumping station, has rented one of the houses since 1964.