Sumner Library and South Brighton Community Centre to be demolished

Friday 7 December 2012

Christchurch City Council has today approved the demolition of the earthquake-damaged Sumner Library and South Brighton Community Centre.

Following Council approval, it is expected that demolition work will begin next month at Sumner Library at 14 Wakefield Avenue and be completed by the end of January. Work to demolish the South Brighton Community Centre at 74 Beatty Street, South Brighton, is due to begin at the end of January and will be completed in February. Items will be retrieved from both buildings before demolition begins.

Both buildings are part of top 30 projects which in September the Council agreed should be prioritised for funding, further investigations and, where possible, repairs.

A Detailed Engineering Evaluation of Sumner Library in May this year showed the Sumner Library building had sustained major damage in the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Council insurers have agreed the building is a total loss.

Engineers have also advised that the South Brighton Community Centre has extensive structural damage. The Council has received a Notice of Demolition from the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority  (CERA) under Section 38 (4) of the Canterbury Earthquake Act 2011 because parts of it are considered to be dangerous. However, as the notice is only for a partial demolition of the building, Council approval to demolish the entire building was sought.

The future of both buildings will be determined as part of the Council’s Facilities Rebuild Plan project. Council staff are continuing to investigate options for a combined Sumner Community Hub. It may be difficult to rebuild on the South Brighton Community Centre site, which is on Technical Category 3 (TC3) land, but this will not be determined until further investigations are carried out.

To see copies of the engineering reports for the Sumner Library and the South Brighton Community Centre and information about the Facilities Rebuild Plan project, visit www.ccc.govt.nz/facilitiesrebuild.