The sight of workmen stripping the Marineland grandstand in Napier sparked some concerns that the Marine Parade landmark is being demolished.
But the Napier City Council has reassured the grandstand is staying exactly where it is, both during and after the work being carried out to remove asbestos cladding which was used in the building in the early 1980s, less than five years before asbestos was banned as a building product in New Zealand because of the danger to health from inhaling its dust.
The council says the cladding on the grandstand is being removed following "best practice" industry standard, and the refurbished grandstand will house the reception area for the new skatepark being built on the site, and the new Lick This! icecream parlour, which closed last month because of demolition of its building adjoining the grandstand.
Authorities say asbestos remains in many buildings, installed initially as cement or in cladding most commonly known as Fibrolite, and removal should be left to specialists.
