Aquatic centre in need of earthquake strengthening

The Ivan Wilson building at the Napier Aquatic Centre has been declared earthquake prone, scoring a low 25 per cent rating New Building Standard (NBS).

While the building is set to undergo earthquake strengthening work, Napier City Council (NCC) said the pool would remain open until the work started.

"The Ivan Wilson building's main structural elements achieved scores of between 25 per cent and 95 per cent of NBS," said NCC.

"The lower 25 per cent rating occurred due to a lack of bracing in the north-south direction.

"The lowest rating is always taken for the overall score for a building, hence the 25 per cent rating.

"A building with less than 34 per cent NBS is categorised as earthquake prone."

According to insurance company NZI, earthquake-prone buildings are those likely to collapse causing injury or death, or damage to any other property, during or following a moderate earthquake.

The NCC said the earthquake-prone status did not mean the building was structurally unsound in normal conditions, but strengthening of the building would be needed.

"A notice will go up at the aquatic centre today [yesterday] advising customers and users of the seismic rating," it said. "A full engineering report had been completed and once detailed designs for the strengthening work were finished the project would go out to tender."

NCC chief executive Wayne Jack said the building was a relatively modern, lightweight single-storey structure with no brickwork or parapets.

"So council has taken a pragmatic approach and decided it is reasonable to keep the facility open until strengthening work starts," he said.

"However, we respect the right of individuals and organisations who may decide to go elsewhere until the work is complete."

NCC added that although two minor buildings were yet to be assessed, other buildings at the aquatic centre were not earthquake prone.

This closure follows that of the Napier War Memorial Centre.

The NCC decided to bring forward work, which incorporated earthquake-strengthening, on the almost 60-year-old building following an assessment rating the centre at 20-25 per cent NBS.

Napier is not the only council facing quake susceptibility woes.

Hawke's Bay Opera House is causing similar headaches for Hastings District Council, with the municipal building being closed to the public for more than a year now.