Hanmer’s Soldiers’ Block restoration remains on track

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

Work remains on track for the opening of an iconic Hanmer Springs building, as local leaders eye up a future Weta Workshop exhibition for the site.

Hurunui Tourism product development manager Graeme Abbot says the restoration of the former Soldiers' Block in the Queen Mary Historic Reserve is progressing, ahead of its planned official opening on Anzac Day.

‘‘It will be a very important day for the town. That building has been sitting there since 2003 not being used, so to have it back in use is important for the town.’’

The Soldiers’ Block was opened in 1916 to rehabilitate soldiers returning from World War I, and was later used as a drug and alcohol treatment facility.

The site also has cultural significance for Ngāti Kurī.

When the building opens it will have a small historical display of information about the building’s past use, Abbot said.

Longer term plans are to create an interactive experience called ‘‘A Place of Light and Life’’ in partnership with Weta Workshop to tell the story of the site.

But it will require the community to raise a further $6 million.

Abbot said the newly formed Queen Mary Historic Reserve Charitable Trust Hanmer Springs has been working behind the scenes and plans to kick off its fundraising effort over the next few months.

‘‘We are excited by the challenge and the work we have done should set us up well.’’

Last week the Hurunui District Council voted to appoint mayor Marie Black as its nominee on the trust for a three-year term.

‘‘As a long-term resident of the Hurunui district, I'm incredibly passionate about this project and want to see it fostered and grow to be a really important part of our shared history,’’ she said.

Black recently visited Belgium on Remembrance Day with Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon and a delegation from the Rangiora and Amberley RSAs.

She said the visit gave her ‘‘great insight into what this project could potentially do for this district’’.

Black joins Abbot and Hanmer Springs locals Mark Inglis and Jason Fletcher as trustees.

Council chief strategy and community officer Judith Batchelor said Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura has been invited to appoint a trustee, while the trust deed allows for the appointment of three more trustees.

Batchelor said the trust was established to fundraise and provide input into the design of the interactive visitor experience.

The council has also agreed in principle to lease the Soldiers’ Block building to the trust to support the ongoing project.

The $3.6 million restoration project is being funded by a Lotteries grant, $1.5m from the Government’s Better Off funding, development contributions and a grant from the council’s Earthquake Prone Buildings Fund.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.