The Hawke's Bay chapel and crematorium is in the process of being earthquake strengthened and refurbished.
The Hawke's Bay chapel and crematorium is in the process of being earthquake strengthened and refurbished.
Progress is being made on Hastings' revamped chapel and crematorium on Orchard Road, which has been granted a new resource consent to operate, with construction expected to get underway in May or June this year.
Plans for the refurbishment of the earthquake-prone building began in 2015 after the crematorium's chapelwas closed in 2012 when it received a 29 per cent earthquake code rating.
It was re-opened in 2013 after remedial work but the complex still required further strengthening and a general upgrade.
An initial price-tag of $1.4 million met with concern among councillors who were split when approving funding for the facility, which had increased by $450,000 over initial estimates.
In a paper to the Hawke's Bay crematorium committee, to be considered on Monday next week, cemetery manager Isak Bester said in response to concerns about the escalating costs changes were approved to cut costs.
These included reducing the size of the crematory, chapel, and ablutions block, reducing the overall height of the buildings by one metre and changing the cladding material from cedar to charred European larch, and the roofing material from a membrane to corrugated colour steel.
The final plans were due to be ready in the next month and the cost had been revised to a budget of $842,000, which to date had been exceeded by $68,000, Mr Bester said.
The total design build fee proposal by Gemco Construction, who were given approval by the council in 2016 to prepare the concept plans and associated budget, would require further funding, the paper said.
At next week's meeting the committee will consider a request for $1,465 to provide a lockable computer cabinet, with the other option being to build a vestry in the chapel to secure the equipment, which would be more expensive.
