“The Gaiety and Mona Vale are significant buildings for their heritage and cultural value to our city. It is great that the Council has agreed to repair them and restore them to their former glory." Community Committee Chair Yani Johanson

The Media Release is as follows:

Gaiety Hall and Mona Vale Homestead to be restored

30 January 2014

A popular Christchurch heritage attraction and a well-loved community facility on Banks Peninsula are another step closer to re-opening after Christchurch City Council today (Thursday 30 January) agreed repair and strengthening work should go ahead.

Both Mona Vale Homestead and Gaiety Hall in Akaroa will be repaired and strengthened to 67 per cent of the New Building Standard (NBS).

Repair and strengthening work is due to begin on both facilities in June/July this year. It is expected Gaiety Hall will re-open at the end of 2014, while Mona Vale Homestead will re-open at the end of 2015.

Community Committee Chair Yani Johanson says this is wonderful news for Christchurch and Banks Peninsula residents.

“The Gaiety and Mona Vale are significant buildings for their heritage and cultural value to our city. It is great that the Council has agreed to repair them and restore them to their former glory.

“There will be many economic and social benefits as both were extensively used and have been sorely missed for a wide variety of events, functions and activities. This Council is committed to saving the heritage buildings we own and we are making good progress on many of these facilities.

The Mona Vale Homestead, which will cost $2,806,527 to repair and strengthen, is of regional heritage significance and is listed in the Christchurch City Plan as a Group 1 heritage item. Before the earthquakes the homestead was a well-used wedding, restaurant and conference venue. Of the $2,806,527 required to repair the building, a total of $600,416 for strengthening not covered by insurance will be funded by the Council’s Infrastructure and Building Improvement Allowance.

The Gaiety Hall’s heritage significance is documented in the Banks Peninsula District Plan. It is registered as a Category 2 historic place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and is recognised as an archaeological site under the Historic Places Act 1993. Repair and strengthening work on the hall will cost $624,400. The insurance contribution will be $124,905 and the remainder will be funded from the Infrastructure and Building Improvement Allowance.

The repair and strengthening work will be carried out under the Council’s Facilities Rebuild Programme.