Earthquake risk keeps Te Awamutu Museum, council building closed

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About 78 council staffers normally work in the buildings, which were evacuated in October.

Te Awamutu Museum and a connected council building will stay closed for the “near future” because of earthquake risk.

Waipā District Council is now looking for some office space for 78 displaced workers and considering a pop-up museum.

The buildings were evacuated in October after an independent seismic assessment and a report has since confirmed they’re at 20% of the New Building Standard.

“In the event of an earthquake, that would represent a risk to life,” a statement from Waipā District Council said.

READ MORE: * Quake risk signs for several hundred Hamilton buildings * Anderson House reopens to the public after eight years * Palmerston North City Council-owned buildings declared earthquake-prone

WaipÄ District Council/SUPPLIED

A pop-up museum is an option but Waipā District Council will need to work with the Te Awamutu Museum Trust Board and mana whenua, chief executive Garry Dyet said.

No-one will be moving back into the building in the “near future”, chief executive Garry Dyet said, but he couldn’t give a more definitive timeframe.

“The museum will remain closed until we can work through the options. We are considering a pop-up museum but obviously we need to work alongside the Te Awamutu Museum Trust Board and mana whenua.”

“The reality is that we will not be able to move much of the collection to a pop-up space because there are issues like climate control to consider. In the meantime, museum staff are still able to fulfill contractual requirements with the Ministry of Education and are working on other opportunities to promote our district’s heritage.”

The council was looking at potential ways to fix the building, using external expertise.

“That’s also going to take some time and there are a lot of issues to consider, including financial issues.” Dyet said. “So I don’t think there will be any decisions made about the future of the building, quickly. In the meantime, our focus is on getting the bulk of staff back into an office and sorting out a potential museum option.”

Of the 78 staff who usually work in the buildings, some were working from home and others had found a spot in either the Te Awamutu or Cambridge offices.

“It’s not ideal but staff have been fantastic and have got on with the job as best they can. I’m grateful to them but we need to find a better solution.”

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