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A concrete slab is lifted into place as the remodeling of the Caroline Bay Soundshell chairs takes shape. Photo taken on June 27.
Replacing the 65-year-old seat structure at the Caroline Bay Soundshell in Timaru will cost nearly double the original estimate of $1.8 million.
The Timaru District Council confirmed on Monday that the project budget is $3.45 million, with a spokesperson saying that “the original estimate of the budget was forecast based on current market conditions at the time”.
The “like for like” replacement has been in the pipeline since 2018, when the council estimated the cost at $1.68 million and that rose to more than $1.8 million when it was highlighted in the 2018-28 long-term plan of the council. Timaru District Council.
In February 2022, in response to a council report outlining a likely cost increase, Mayor Nigel Bowen said he was confident the replacement project wouldn’t turn out too much.
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A council spokesperson said Monday that the project was “then launched and the current tender has been selected based on a number of attributes”.
“We had also made some improvements to the design to allow better access for the disabled and the elderly than the previous structure.
JOHN BISSET/Things
Work in progress on replacing the seating structure at the Caroline Bay Soundshell. Photo taken on June 22.
“There is currently a significant range of inflationary pressures on construction projects.
“While we strive to get the best possible price forecast, unfortunately this sometimes doesn’t match up when the last job comes to market, especially under these unprecedented market conditions.”
The spokesman said that “one of the particular strengths of this project” is that the investment will be almost entirely in the local economy.
Washdyke-based Thompson Construction and Engineering was awarded the contract and the refurbishment, which is on track to be completed in December, in time for the summer events.
JOHN BISSET/Things
More concrete panels are being added to the rebuild of the Caroline Bay Soundshell chairs. Photo taken on June 27.
Demolition of the original concrete structure started in February 2022,
The soundshell was built in 1936, with the original stadium seats completed in 1957. In 2018, the municipality was informed that the seats would become unsafe within the next five years.
Security concerns caused part of the area – approximately 300 seats – to be closed in December 2019.
Propping to address payload and dynamic load issues was installed in 2017, and additional struts were added in 2019 and 2020.