Wanganui District Council needs to move quickly to ensure the safety of the city's War Memorial Hall.
As the Wanganui Chronicle revealed yesterday, a report has shown the building to have less than 12 per cent of the required earthquake strengthening, as well as being sited on unstable land.
According to the
report, the structural integrity of the hall's walls is at risk from "lateral forces" generated either by strong winds or an earthquake.
After an assessment carried out in 2008, the building was deemed to have a seismic strength of 11.9 per cent. A score of 33 per cent or less is a fail, and a score of 67 per cent is considered best practice.
The idea of the War Memorial Hall collapsing because of an earthquake or strong winds may seem fanciful to some.
But we only have to look as far as the destruction in Christchurch earlier this year to understand the damage that can be caused by an act of nature.
The War Memorial Hall is an iconic part of Wanganui's city landscape, and to lose it would be tragic.
More than just a hall, it serves as a monument to those who lost their lives in World War II, as well as serving a practical purpose for those who make use of its facilities every year.
In recent times, the hall has been used by the RSA on Anzac Day, and has played host to the Wanganui Chrysanthemum Club's autumn flower show.
The consequences of people being inside the building at the same time as a large earthquake hits do not bear thinking about.
The risk from strong wind gusts seems slightly more surreal, but based on the report's findings, should be taken seriously. On the face of it, the chances of strong winds striking the hall seem more likely than the chances of a major earthquake.
But, as events in Christchurch have shown, it's impossible to know.
It's good to see the council taking action, with Wanganui Mayor Annette Main agreeing with a recommendation that $10,000 be diverted towards a feasibility report on the cost and practicality of upgrading the building.
But at this point, surely the situation has moved beyond one of simply assessing feasibility?
Based around the data in the report presented to the council's property and infrastructure committee, strengthening the hall should not only be seen as feasible, but critical.
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