Historic building gets TLC
Restoration work on historic Pompallier Mission building in Russell has been given the green light following a successful donations campaign.
More than $60,000 has been raised by Heritage New Zealand members and supporters so far, with restoration work expected to start following the busy summer period next year. Personal notes were often sent in with donations.
Work will include restoration to the building’s timber, plaster and joinery.
Damage to the joinery and plaster work are part and parcel of the building being located in a tough marine environment.
Repairs are focusing on key areas of the building’s exterior in order to protect the taonga inside the building.
‘‘Thanks to the hundreds of people who have sent in donations, I can now book in the contractors and get the work scheduled,’’ property manager Scott Elliffe says.
‘‘This is a great outcome for heritage, culture and tourism in the Bay of Islands and especially for Pompallier Mission. This work will ensure it continues to be an attraction for locals and visitors...while giving the local economy a boost.’’
Built in 1842, Pompallier Mission is a Category 1 historic place established by French Catholic missionaries as a tannery and printery, translating church texts from Latin to te reo Maori.