‘Ghastly eyesore’ gets a wrap
The fire-ravaged Tekapo Tavern is now not so easy to see, which pleases locals.
The charred shell of the Tekapo Tavern is no longer the first sight for visitors to the tourism hotspot.
A $2000 wrap featuring photographs of the Takapō/Tekapo landscape, taken by local photographer George Empson, has been installed around the devastated building, which has sat untouched in a prime location since being gutted by fire about 18 months ago.
Mackenzie District mayor Graham Smith said he had been in touch with the building owner, Barak Investments, which aimed to lodge a consent application to demolish and rebuild the tavern by the end of the month.
‘‘We’re pretty disappointed the building has remained as it has. It’s just been an absolute eyesore. It degrades our town,’’ Smith said.
‘‘Initially, we were trying to get the landowner to shift the mess, but it couldn’t be done. We thought of various options and decided to go ahead with a photo wrap.’’
Smith was ‘‘quite excited’’ the town’s only pub was to be rebuilt.
‘‘Hopefully it will be ready to open by the end of the year,’’ Smith said.
Lake Tekapo Community Board member Steve Howes said concerns had been raised over the ‘‘ghastly eyesore’’.
‘‘We just didn’t think that was the welcome visitors should be receiving. Having an understanding that it would take some time to work through insurance and rebuild formalities, we have pleaded for some time that suitable screening be implemented to cover the eyesore.’’
Howes said feedback on the wrap had been ‘‘phenomenal’’ with people stopping to admire the images, and many positive comments online.
Empson remembered the tavern being built in the late 1950s and felt it was ‘‘such a shame’’ the fire-ravaged structure was still standing.
‘‘It’s quite unbelievable for a town like this. We should have pushed forward and had a replacement by now, instead of leaving it in that derelict state,’’ Empson said.