Help needed in kiln tidy-up
Palmerston North’s Hoffman Kiln has been covered and protected, and the community group in charge of its future wants help to tidy up the bricks and grounds.
The roof of the category onelisted historic place was destroyed in a storm in October 2014, and was replaced in a $100,000 project by owners Higgins before being handed over to a community trust to care for.
Interim trustee Cliff Wilson said with the kiln secure and the Kauri Health Centre development next door nearing completion, the trust was keen to make progress on maintenance and enhancements on site.
‘‘We want to concentrate at this stage on the kiln itself, the bricks and the interior.’’
Wilson said since grilles were put in place to prevent people from getting inside, vandalism that had plagued the structure in the past had reduced to almost zero.
Weeds had replaced vandals as the key challenge.
‘‘We can’t just pull them out, as that would bring the mortar out as well. We need to cut them back.’’
The trustees wanted to get inside to clean up years of accumulated debris.
Particular care needed to be taken with the bricks on the inside, made fragile after years of being subjected to 1000-degree temperatures in the firing chamber.
Once the kiln was tidied up the focus would shift to the rest of the grounds and buildings.
The trust was short of cash to make any improvements.
So far it had received rates relief from the Palmerston North City Council and Horizons Regional Council.
It was selling copies of Jim Lundy’s history of the kiln, 9000 Bricks A Day, and had received one donation to help get started.
Wilson said what it needed now was a band of willing helpers to assist with the cleanup.
Working bees had been arranged for the next two Sunday afternoons, July 31 and August 7, from 1.30pm to 4pm. Helpers should bring their own tools.