A contract has been signed to demolish the Masterton Town Hall. (File photo) Photo: LDR / Emily Ireland
A deal has been signed with a demolition contractor to take down Masterton's town hall, with work set to begin this month.
In its place, a festival-themed space would arise until a new town hall could be built.
Masterton District Council announced on Wednesday that it had contracted Wellington-based company Quality Demolition and Contracting Ltd to demolish the earthquake-prone building, which had been closed since 2016.
The value of the contract was confidential, a spokesperson said.
Council chief executive Kym Fell said the contract marked the start of a project to deliver "a modern, multi-functional events and performance venue for the community".
"The demolition of the old town hall signals real progress for Masterton. While we respect and will honour its history, our focus is firmly on delivering a modern, affordable facility that meets today's needs and will serve our community and region for generations to come."
He said the project had met all resource consent requirements, which included: a professionally designed public space activation plan; a full inventory of materials for salvage and reuse; an archaeological authority from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga; and a site management plan approved by council.
"We know this project has prompted strong views over many years, and that's natural given the town hall's place in our community," Fell said.
"What's important now is that the council has followed due process, listened carefully, and can move ahead with confidence, carrying forward elements of the old hall while creating a facility that reflects Masterton's future."
Fell said recent announcements about proposed changes to the Earthquake-Prone Building system would not affect the town hall's current status.
He said the proposed reforms did not alter the classification of buildings that contained unreinforced masonry in public spaces.
"The town hall falls squarely within this category, meaning its designation and the need for remediation remain unchanged under the new rules."
The town hall activation plan shows a festival setup in the place of the soon-to-be demolished site. Photo: Supplied
Design work for the replacement building would begin once demolition was completed.
In the meantime, the site would be "activated" with temporary planting and furniture.
The Public Space Activation Plan, which could be viewed at whatsup.mstn.govt.nz, would transform the space into "Feastival Wairarapa" - a vibrant festival-themed space centred on food, music, and community gathering.
All elements of the final concept were designed to be able to be used in other council projects, sold, or donated.
Elements included a temporary grandstand for events, built-in benches, tables and chairs, lawn games, scaffolding, a shipping container bar/cafe, and fairy lights.
The town hall project was included in the council's 2024-34 Long Term Plan.
As decided by a majority vote, the total budget for demolition, an activation plan, and a new building was $25 million.
Site activity would begin in early October, with demolition to follow.
Car parks alongside the town hall site would close from this time, with alternative parking available nearby.
The Masterton Ratepayers and Residents Association (MRRA) has organised a final farewell to the town hall on Sunday, 5 October, from 3pm - 4pm.
"While we don't know the exact date demolition starts, we do know that the consent for demolition has been granted by council," MRRA president Lyn Riley said.
"We want to gather before the fences go up. There are so many people with treasured memories and stories, and we want to celebrate those before it's too late."
A memory book/time capsule was being prepared to archive images, events, and stories over the 115-year life of the town hall.
If it's raining the event will be held at War Memorial Stadium on Dixon Street.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
