By Robin Martin of RNZ
The New Plymouth Power Station chimney has dominated the city’s skyline since 1972, but it has not been used for about two decades.
For many locals, the 198m stack – which was for many years New Zealand’s tallest structure – was a symbol of home, while for others it’s a blight on the landscape.
The power station chimney was actually five brick flues surrounded by a 27.5m in diameter concrete windshield.
It took 16,400 tonnes of concrete, 1200 tonnes of reinforcing steel, and almost one million bricks to build. The bricks were laid at a rate of 10,000 a day.
Craig Cardie trained as an electrician at the station – and for him, the chimney was an icon.
“It’s been there for a long time and I just think it’s a part of the landscape. It’s quite a cool thing to see. I think it would be a bit of a shame if it disappeared, everyone has a photo of it somewhere.
“It’s a pity it hasn’t been turned into something else like maybe if it is structurally sound to be a tourist attraction of some kind. There could be a viewing platform at the top, maybe even a restaurant.”
Cardie had the privilege of being to the top.
“There’s an access elevator inside it’s pretty ancient but does the job. So, you can get up on the top and the views are amazing because you can get access right around and the views are stunning.
“On a very clear day you can see right up north, around the coast and you can see right across and get Ruapehu on a super clear day.”
Port Taranaki bought the power station land when it was decommissioned in 2008 and oversaw demolition of most of the buildings from 2014.
Commercial manager Ross Dingle said the $5 million cost to bring down the chimney was the main reason it was left standing.
He was not a fan.
“I’ve got mixed emotions because my father and my father-in-law helped build it, but really it’s an eyesore. It’s a big piece of concrete standing right in the middle of an area of natural beauty. I would not be unhappy if it came down.”
Dingle said various uses had been mooted for the chimney.
“We’ve spoken about a zipline down to the Paritutu car park, an international graffiti site, a revolving restaurant on top, but to be fair it’s in the middle of a port operations area and we’ve got to make sure that’s accessible and easily accessible to our customers who use that space and that just doesn’t work in well with public access.”
Dingle said in the meantime, the chimney was structurally sound and had a lifespan out beyond 2050.
Former New Plymouth mayor Andrew Judd would like to see more ambition for the chimney.
“It’s absolutely an icon, it’s part of our landscape. It’s a shame it’s not utilised. I mean, imagine having a restaurant or a viewing platform up the top. It would bring the tourists in, promote the province.
“It would probably be a bit of a challenge, but without dreams nothing ever happens. It’s great, I love the chimney.”
Dingle saw a catch.
“So inside the chimney there’s areas where there is asbestos and so for health and safety reasons we don’t let people up there unless they absolutely have to be up there and even when they do go up they are fully kitted out with PPE a mask, hat, overalls and all of that has to be disposed of when they get back to the bottom.”
On Devon St, locals had mixed views on the chimney.
Rebecca couldn’t understand why it was still there.
“Is it useful? Does it have a point? Paritutu Rock is a tourist attraction, not the chimney.”
Gordon was a bit more favourably disposed to it.
“I think it’s okay. I don’t hate it, I don’t love it. I wouldn’t mind seeing it painted a bright colour or something or chuck a revolving restaurant on top, maybe take people up for tours. I’d be a bit disappointed if it was removed.”
Peter thought the chimney had outlived its welcome.
“Time to move on I think. I know it’s iconic for a lot of local people, but it reflects the industry that’s in its sunset - oil and gas. I think we can better use our scenery and respect the maunga in that area.”
Paul was a fan.
“I think it’s an icon but only because I watched it get built as a young boy in this city.”
Sue had a particular concern.
“I’d probably miss the lights if it were to go.”
Dingle said Port Taranaki would eventually use the large area of flat land the chimney stands on for new operations such as oil and gas decommissioning projects, support for offshore wind farm installations or potentially a liquefied natural gas imports hub.
– RNZ