Church changes but stays the same
St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in New Plymouth is reopening this weekend after undergoing earthquake-strengthening works costing $900,000. However, visitors on Sunday will be hard-pressed to see any changes.
A $900,000 restoration project to bring New Plymouth’s St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church up to national earthquake-strengthening standard has been completed.
But worshippers gathering for the reopening of services in the 90-year-old Gothic revivalist style building on Sunday will be hard pressed to notice any changes.
St Andrew’s board of trustees chairman Malcolm Kennaugh, a retired architect, said the bracing work, using carbon fibre sheets, or bandages, across the mid-section of three walls, was now covered by new plaster and paintwork. The three, seven-metre wide carbon fibre bandages would bring the building up an average 85 per cent of the national building code for earthquake risk.
Kennaugh said, in spite of an engineer’s report showing the church exceeded 67 per cent earthquake risk rating, the board decided to further increase the seismic rating of the class 2 heritage building, including the adjoining hall.
Buildings over 67 per cent are considered unlikely to fall down in an earthquake.
The report showed the andesite stone exterior cladding was secure and had no need to be pinned by bolts, he said.
The earthquake strengthening of the church and hall, built in 1952, is the first stage of $1.5m project to renovate both buildings including repainting interior walls, upgrading lighting, and replacing pews with seats.
During stage 2 of the project, a commercial kitchen will be installed in the hall to teach cooking skills, and it will
be hired out for functions.
The project has been partially funded by the sale of a church-owned property in New Plymouth, and a $25,000 heritage grant from New Plymouth District Council.
Around $400,000 still needs to be raised to fully complete the project.
Reverend Kevyn Harris said the church and hall were used by up to 26 community groups for a range of purposes, from choir, concert and pipe organ recitals to Pasifika wellness classes and blood donations.
‘‘The church’s vision is wanting to make a contribution not only in providing a place for worship and religious service, but to make a social, pastoral, economic and cultural input to the city and Taranaki,’’ he said.
‘‘The best way to do that we thought was to have a worship space, and another area which could be used by groups for conferences, functions and work skills training.’’
The church, built in 1932 on a prominent ridge near city centre, was designed by Frederick de Jersey Clere and replaced two previous Presbyterian churches which had been on Devon St since 1866.
In 2013, St Andrew’s spent $500,000 on major restorations to restore stained glass windows and repair cracked walls, the tower roof and the spire.