EIT’s $25 million repair bill: Cyclone forces Taradale campus’ six- month closure

The EIT’s Taradale campus will be closed for six months and faces a $25 million repair bill following damage done by Cyclone Gabrielle.

A statement posted online by the institute said while planning is underway to reopen the campus, the scale of damage has been “significant”, with up to 90 per cent of the ground-floor buildings - more than 500 rooms - being damaged.

“Based on the current picture, it’s estimated it will be closer to six months before a general transition to return to campus could begin,” a spokesperson said.

Stefan Schmith, a tutor at EIT's Baking School, says the dough must go on. Photo / Warren Buckland

Dave Christiansen, executive director, EIT Te Pūkenga, said initial estimates put the total recovery cost at $25m-$30m.

He said there were about 3200 learners enrolled in programmes delivered from the Taradale campus.

However, he said “almost all our learners have been able to continue with their programmes”.

“Most teaching had resumed by Monday, March 6 - mostly online, some at alternative locations. More will transition to alternative delivery sites as we secure them and get them operational. There are only eight programme offerings, affecting just 121 learners, that we have had to defer to semester two.”

One faculty still running is the institute’s Bakery School.

Luckily, the ovens and dough mixers were still in a former bakery beside the Taradale fire station - the school’s former base, as the move back to the kitchens at Taradale campus for the 2023 course was interrupted by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Floodwater entered buildings and courses were halted as the cleanup process began.

Floodwaters ravaged the EIT's Taradale campus. Photo / Warren Buckland

The opportunity arose to go back to the Meeanee Rd bakery and the course started two weeks late.

“It’s good here, overall I feel very confident we can deliver a strong course,” said the school’s tutor, Stefan Schmith.

It’s been a wobbly start to the course, but he said believed the industry is looking for qualified bakers and there’ll be a job waiting for any of his students.

“I want to make sure we don’t forget how to make the daily bread.”

It’s understood EIT’s Hawke’s Bay Campus and Wairoa Regional Learning Centre remain closed, with teaching occurring online and/or at off-campus locations.

The Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti graduation ceremonies, which were earlier postponed, have since been announced for August 18 at Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre, Hastings.