Council proposes Ohakune complex

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 581, 11 April 1995, Page 1

Council proposes Ohakune complex

Plans to relocate all the Ruapehu District Council' s Ohakune functions to one site, possibly the old Turoa Information Centre property, got the thumbs up from the Waimarino Community Board last Thursday. Council property officer Allan Low sought approval in principle for the proposal so he could further investigate the idea. He told the board he had done as much investigation as possible so far, but now needed to "bring the matter out into the open" to take it any further. The aim of the move is mainly one of cost, with the council ' s current Ohakune buildings soon needing major refurbishment, he said. "Currently Council' s functions in Ohakune are being carried out in four separate locations, the service centre, library, information centre and the Clyde Street public conveniences," stated Mr Low in his report to the board. "All the buildings are Teaching the latter stages of their economic lives especially the information centre and library which in the next few years will require major refurbishment and possible reconstruction to meet the requirements of commercial

buildings as contained within the New Zealand Building Code." "The service centre also requires internal alterations to satisfactorily house the operations carried out there. There is increasing pressure on the service centre as a result of the high level of development in the Ohakune area." He said by choosing the status quo, costs for ongoing maintenance will increase until refurbishment of the buildings is made necessary. The communications infrastructure of maintaining three separate operational buildings will remain, together with the individual property costs, he added. Savings would be in communications, energy, property costs and possibly staffing levels. A complex would need: accessibility; to be central to the business area; sufficient off street parking and kerb side parking; sufficient area to house buildings for all of the council' s functions; and to have preferably a high public profile. It would be necessary to construct a building to house the library, which could also be used for meetings, and to build public toilets which would allow the Clyde Street 'bunkers' to be removed.

Mr Low said to enable a more detailed study of the option the council needed to bring the matter into the open and to negotiate a conditional purchase agreement with the building' s present owners. "I believe it warrants deeper research," he concluded. Council marketing manager Bruce Rollinson supports the move, saying the proposed complex would be "an exciting one for the future development of the visitor centre".

"Currently we have major problems with

visitor car parking and we occupy a bui lding that i s nearing the "end of its ^

economic life," he said. Also, the savings would also mean they were able to keep

the visitor centre

open lonser ^

hours. "We will jd

continue to maintain a main street location and will operate from a ^

separate location within the proposed complex away from the Council' s coreactivities."