Whanganui District Council agrees to finish retaining wall behind Highland Pipe Band hall

The sliding bank behind Whanganui's Highland Pipe Band hall is causing dampness, resulting in damage to the band's gear. Photo / Mike Tweed

Whanganui’s council has agreed to finish a retaining wall behind the city’s Highland Pipe Band hall to stop a bank sliding further on to the building.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the work during deliberations on its 2025/26 annual plan.

A Whanganui District Council report said it acknowledged that the issue should have been resolved as part of a project to restore the walkway from Bell St up to the Sarjeant Gallery.

The pipe band hall sits below Pukenamu Queen’s Park, which houses the Sarjeant, Davis Library and Alexander Library.

“These circumstances have now changed; therefore, officers recommend that appropriate action is taken,” the report said.

“Partial retaining wall work was completed in 2020 which successfully addressed part of the problem.

“However, the remaining section was left incomplete, contributing to continued dampness and damage to the band’s uniforms and instruments.”

During hearings on the annual plan in May, band president Robert Gaskin said the bank was now “quite high on the back of the hall”.

Running a dehumidifier in the room affected by the bank cost about $5 a day, he said.

The council report said the costs for the work were still being assessed “but may be in the order of $200,000″.

However, it would be a priority project through an existing property group budget.

“Officers believe there is adequate funding available in the budget to complete this project without sacrificing other planned projects.

“The chief executive will report back to the council during the year if there is expected to be a funding shortfall.”

The Highland Pipe Band owns the hall and has occupied the council-owned land at 1E Bell St since 1951.

Pukenamu Queen’s Park is owned by the Crown but is managed and maintained by the council.

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.