Historic courthouse move could be two months away
A DATE for the return of court services to Oamaru’s historic courthouse has yet to be finalised, the Ministry of Justice says.
The 1883 Thames St courthouse was closed in late 2011 after being classed as earthquakeprone.
Court services were relocated to the nearby Oamaru Opera House and then to a portable facility in Humber St in 2014.
After a short delay due to poor weather, earthquakestrengthening work started in late February. Scaffolding was erected around the building before it was cloaked in white plastic wrap to make it weatherproof and reduce dust and noise.
In early July, Waitaki District Council property manager Renee Julius told the Otago Daily Times strengthening work had been completed, but further exterior and interior work was required to prepare the building for court services, likely to be completed in early September.
However, that date had been pushed out to late September or early October.
Ministry of Justice commercial and property general manager Fraser Gibbs said the delay came after ministry staff visited the courthouse to inspect progress and confirmed their operational requirements would be met once back in the building.
‘‘Some additional work was identified in the security and technology spaces that would further futureproof the court. We have incorporated this work into the current closure as it is more costeffective and less disruptive.’’
The strengthening work involved steel support rods being installed throughout the building.
Exterior painting was nearing completion, the building’s roof had been replaced and its guttering recontoured.
The layout of the courthouse will be different when it reopens and the car park will be redeveloped to drain water away from the building instead of towards it.
While the cost of the work has not been disclosed, it was within the council’s $900,000 budget, funded through its endowment fund.
After long negotiations, an agreement was reached between the council and the ministry in 2016 that resulted in the council taking ownership of the building and agreeing to lease it back to the ministry.
Mr Gibbs said it was ‘‘likely’’ the temporary courthouse would be removed, but no final decision had been made.