When art beat fire: Keirunga creative hub's charred walls sparkle again

A fire in 2016 gutted the Keirunga creative hub. Photo / File

The suspicious fire might have gutted a building, but it couldn't destroy the art community that loved it so.

Four years after the Keirunga creative hub's darkest day, its then charred walls now sparkle.

A rebuild of the renowned Havelock North building has brought an incredible transformation, and the improvement is ongoing.

The Keirunga Rebuild Board were suddenly thrust into managing the project by what may have been the work of an arsonist. Under pressure, they thrived.

It's work they were recognised for with a civic honour at a Hastings District Council awards evening on Thursday.

Previous president of the board Juliet Cottrell and facilities manager Warren Elliot said they were both "humbled" by the award win.

They have completed two stages of the rebuild, with further fundraising for the third stage currently being planned after Covid-19 halted fundraising events.

Previous Keirunga Rebuild Board president Juliet Cottrell and facilities manager Warren Elliott outside the new creative hub. Photo / Paul Taylor

The first stage of the rebuild was the reinstatement and upgrade of the upper and lower art studios of the two-storey building.

This is the main art building of the facility which is home to a number of Keirunga Groups and youth arts providers. A commercial sewing business operates out of the lower level, providing a regular income for the facility.

The second stage was the rebuild of the old theatre complex, which has become a multi-purpose performance space.

"We've been able to upgrade and refurbish while we rebuild with the future in mind," Cottrell said.

All of the spaces are available for hire.

The third stage is the gallery workshop, which will flow into the multipurpose space and the new entrance for the creative hub.

The board has so far received $100,000 from a lottery community grant and $150,000 from Eastern & Central Community Trust but Covid has put further fundraising plans on hold.

The new facility was also upgraded and refurbished during the rebuild. Photo / Simon Cartwright

Elliot hopes the new space will be a "modern creative and performance-based location that inspires imagination for all ages".

The new space is different from the old space as "it's a fresher, much nicer place to come to."

"The doors are open to anyone who wants to come, anyone who wants to start a regular group, or have one-off meetings, [there are] more choices on offer now for people to gather," Cottrell said.