Quake-risk experts fly in for talks

Chris O'Reilly, Hawke's Bay Opera House chairman, on the stage of the historic theatre, which was closed this week over earthquake-safety concerns. Photo/Paul Taylor

Hastings District Council staff grappling with the problem of the earthquake-prone Opera House theatre building have met their Wellington contemporaries who are facing similar issues with the capital's town hall.

It was revealed on Tuesday that engineers had raised concerns the 99-year-old council-owned building was well below the standard for earthquake preparedness, despite a multimillion-dollar refurbishment and strengthening project completed seven years ago.

The theatre has been closed for at least the next two months, forcing the cancellation or relocation of 14 events, as the council seeks more detailed assessments of the issue. The closure does not affect other facilities or businesses in the Opera House precinct, including the Assembly ballroom, the Shakespeare Room, Opera Kitchen, Ticketek, Dish Catering, Hawke's Bay Winegrowers and Hutchinson Furnishers, which have all been deemed safe to continue operating.

Yesterday, Wellington City Council manager of earthquake resilience Neville Brown and senior project manager Geoff Snedden flew to Hawke's Bay to discuss their experience dealing with the earthquake-prone Wellington Town Hall.

Both buildings are listed as category 1 buildings on the Historic Places Trust register.

Hastings District Council's group manager of community facilities and programmes, Alice Heather, said the meeting was worthwhile.

"The two buildings have a number of similarities, as far as use is concerned. The information we received is likely to prove very beneficial as we move forward with the decision-making process for the Opera House," she said.

"It is important that we use every opportunity to learn from others' experiences in these situations, and the meeting has provided us with some interesting pointers on process and planning as we consider the way forward for the Opera House."

Chris O'Reilly, chairman of Hawke's Bay Opera House, the company that manages the facility on the council's behalf, said he did not attend the meeting with the Wellington managers because his focus was dealing with the the fallout of event cancellations.

Opera House staff were yesterday continuing to work with event promoters and other venue operators, including Napier's Municipal Theatre, to try to reorganise events.

So far two events have been cancelled (Grease - Movie Night and Celtic Thunder). One had been moved from the Opera House theatre to the Assembly Room (Bill Haley jnr and the Comets) and three had been relocated to the Municipal Theatre (Sol3 Mio, Paul Potts and 2degrees Comedy Convoy).

The fate of eight other events, including a Dame Kiri Te Kanawa performance scheduled for late May, has not been decided. Ticket holders have been told to check for updates on the Opera House website and to contact Ticketek for new tickets and refunds.

Mr O'Reilly said the Opera House was battling an incorrect perception that the whole facility had been closed.