The Oamaru Union Parish Church on Eden St. Photo by Andrew
Ashton.
Members of a church congregation in Oamaru have been
forced to look for a new place of worship, because their church
has been classed as an earthquake risk.
Following an engineer's assessment of the Oamaru Union Parish
church, Methodist Church of New Zealand property committee
executive director Greg Wright said the Eden St building
would close to the public next week.
''The property has been surveyed as part of a wider survey of
Church property that we are carrying out and it has been
found to be below 34% of the new building standard, and has
been closed pending further investigations, until we can
satisfy ourselves on what its future will be.''
Mr Wright said although there was no immediate danger, it was
''prudent'' to close the building for the time being.
He said the building had not been condemned, and it was
''unlikely'' it would be demolished.
Further assessments would be conducted ''expeditiously'', but
would be dependent on the availability of engineers, he said.
The Eden St church would be allowed a week to conclude
meetings and services.
Oamaru Union parish chairman Bruce Waterhouse said the
building was built from limestone blocks, ''like a great many
other churches''.
The Anglican and Catholic Churches in Otago are assessing
earthquake risk.
andrew.ashton@odt.co.nz
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