Dunedin RSA Choir member David More outside the Dunedin
Town Hall. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
After nearly three years and more than $45 million spent
on restorations and improvements, Dunedin's town hall and
neighbouring Dunedin Centre are scheduled to reopen next month.
And on April 25, a group with long links to the venue, the
Dunedin RSA Choir, will be the first to perform there. Choir
member David More said they were looking forward to returning
to the town hall with their Anzac Day Revue.
The choir will debut a new uniform for the occasion.
''Norma'', the town hall organ, was protected and had fans
removed and replaced, but was not otherwise touched during
the project, which included work on the town hall, Glenroy
auditorium and municipal chambers.
Redevelopment project manager David Booth, from Octa
Associates, said fire sprinklers had been installed
throughout the complex, as had an air-conditioning system.
Other work included new conference, break-out and hospitality
spaces, and the installation of lifts and walkways to link
the buildings with the municipal chambers.
The town hall ceiling was being painted and restored, LED
lighting was being added, its trusses strengthened, and extra
service fixtures and a walkway inside the ceiling cavity
would be added to enable more equipment to be suspended for
shows.
Every wall and floor was removed, with new services installed
behind, then either replaced and gib-stopped, painted,
carpeted or polished.
Contractors would be busy getting the centre ready for
handing over to council-owned venue management company
Dunedin Venues Ltd by April 5, he said.
The centre will be officially reopened at a civic reception
on April 24.
- debbie.porteous@odt.co.nz
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