COAL CREEK SCHEME

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26556, 3 September 1947, Page 4

COAL CREEK SCHEME

Modern Township Planned Near Site ACCOMMODATION FOR WORKERS While final plans for the actual dam and the camp at Coal Creek are still under consideration, it is now possible to obtain some idea of the size of the hydro-electric undertaking on the Molyneux, the extent of the camp, and the progressive stages in the Carrying out of the scheme. Investigations at the site itself are all but finished, and only a few more borings have to be made. The tunnel under the Molyneux has been completed and engineers of the Public Works Department and a geologist have inspected the foundation and rock and satisfied themselves as to the soundness of the site for the biggest hydro-electric dam in New Zealand. Soon the 40 men on the site will be diverted from testing to preliminary constructional work, such as the extension of the road and rail to the dam site and the preparation of the area for the camp. The work of building a dam and a power house capable of producing 300,000 kilowatts will probably be done in more or less distinct phases. The first step will be the extension of the road and rail up to the east bank of the river to the site of the dam. The next will be the building of what will virtually be a modern town on the esat bank of the river on the flats opposite the present Public Works camp. The next phase will be the building of a diversion tunnel—or tunnels—and then will follow the excavation of the dam site, an undertaking that could be done piecemeal. The final phase will be the placing of the concrete in the dam site and the construction of the power house.

Officers of the State Hydro-electric Department are at present working on the plans of the 200 ft high dam tiiat will span the comparatively narrow gorge and form a lake extending almost to Alexandra. It is possible, however, that final details may be left until the department’s officer, Mr W. A. Bloodworth, returns from the United Stales. Also in America at present is Mr C. E. K. Alecock, of the Public Works Department, who will be the engineer-in-charge of the construction of the Coal Creek scheme. Work has already been commenced on the plans for the new camp. The settlement on the flats beside the Molyneux will be designed on modern town-planning lines, and officers of the State Housing Department will assist the Public Works Department in drawing up the plaps. A Modern Town Provision will be made in the new town for accommodation for 1000 men. It is expected that half the men will be married and half will be single, and the accommodation is being planned accordingly. This will mean that 1000 houses, as well as other buildings, will have to be constructed. It is expected that the houses will be prefabricated, and it is hoped by the Public Works Department that Dunedin builders will become interested in the construction of the camp. It is intended that all the buildings will be constructed from timber from the State forests in the Tapanui district in order that housing schemes in the south will be interfered with to the least possible extent.

The new town will be the most up to date public works settlement in New Zealand. Nothing in the way of services and amenities will be lacking. There will be a first-class water supply, drainage and sewerage, electricity, recreation grounds, a school, a hospital, a picture theatre, tennis courts and bowling greens. It is hoped that the attractive layout of the town and the amenities offered will help to attract workers to the scheme. Use of Cement

The town will not remain at Coal Creek. No doubt when the dam is completed the buildings will be moved to the site of the next hydro-electric scheme, which, it is expected, will be proceeded with as soon as Coal Creek is finished. The site for the homes for the permanent staff of the scheme has not yet been decided upon, nor have the plans been drawn. One feature of the Coal Creek scheme which has been causing concern to those associated with building and industry is the diversion 1 to the project of the vast quantities of cement necessary for the construction of the dam and powerhouse, which will probably take approximately 600,000 cubic yards of concrete. Although a certain amount of cement will be required in the early stages of the scheme, it will not be until the dam site is excavated that the main requirements will be drawn from the supply sources. This means that it will be not until the last two years of the work that large quantities of cement will be required. There is plenty of shingle close to the dam site, for the tailings from years of dredging stretch for hundreds of acres opposite Roxburgh. These will be made use of, and tests of the aggregate available are at present being carried out'. It is not expected that any trouble will be encountered in finding a suitable aggregate for the scheme.