Progress on rotunda restoration
Good progress is being made for the restoration of a historically important rotunda at the old O¯ taki Children’s Health Camp.
The rotunda, built for King George V Hospital in Rotorua as a home for wounded soldiers returning from the frontline in World War 1, was a well-known feature in the health camp.
The health camp, which opened in mid February 1932, was returned to the crown in 2018 by Stand Children’s Services who could no longer cover operating shortfalls.
Since a public meeting to¯ establish the Friends of the Otaki Rotunda Trust (FOR), the trust has been registered as an Incorporated Society and granted charities status by Charity Services, Department of Internal Affairs.
“These steps were needed to get the trust on a firm legal footing that can attract the level of donations required to fund the restoration,” trust chairwoman Di Buchan said.
A website www.otakirotunda.org.nz has also been established with an online facility for membership payments and donations.
“In the few weeks it has been running the website has attracted people from across New Zealand and around the world.
“It is expected that many of these will be people who stayed at the camp as children or who worked there at some stage during its 85 years of operations.”
A strong working relationship has been established with Heritage New Zealand (HNZ) and the Department of Conservation (DOC) the government agency with responsibility for managing the site until its future is decided.
“Both organisations have nominated a member to attend meetings of the trust.
“HNZ has recently completed a heritage assessment of the whole site — land and buildings for DOC — and recently met with the trust to go through the findings.
“The report concluded the property has heritage values of architectural, historic and social importance and recommended that a heritage covenant inclusive of the property’s high heritage values be registered on the title.
“This process is now underway.
“The report also recommended that an experienced heritage conservation professional be commissioned to update the rotunda’s conservation plan.”
Over the past few weeks DOC has undertaken much-needed emergency repairs to weather proof the rotunda which despite almost 20 years of neglect is in good shape.
“Decisions on its future location and use are still some way off but the journey has now begun.”