ORC customer support closed during move

Getting a feel for the new Otago Regional Council building are council science and resilience general manager Tom Dyer, council deputy chief executive and strategy and customer general manager Amanda Vercoe, council environmental delivery general manager Joanna Gilroy and council chief executive Richard Saunders. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

The opening of the new ORC building will lead to its customer support service in Dunedin being closed for two days.

The council will bring its Dunedin-based staff together in one central location, with teams moving into the brand-new Aonui building at 180 High St next week.

The council’s customer support will move from Philip Laing House in Rattray St, the last day for public visits there being today.

Customer support will reopen at Aonui next Wednesday with six customer parks and two accessible parks for visitors.

The outside of the new Otago Regional Council building, which will be known as Aonui. PHOTOS: PETER MCINTOSH

‘‘Having all our Dunedin teams in one place will streamline how we work and provide a clear, central hub for people needing to access council services,’’ council chief executive Richard Saunders said.

The council apologised for any inconvenience caused during the two-day closure while staff relocate to the High St location.

‘‘The move only affects Dunedin-based staff currently working from two city offices. ORC’s regional depots and other offices across Otago will remain unchanged,’’ Mr Saunders said.

He said the move also addressed long-standing accommodation issues for Dunedin staff. The move was identified in the council’s long-term plan 2021-31, and councillors approved the project in 2023 following several years of investigation into accommodation options.

The building was bought and redeveloped by Port Otago, which owns the site and is leasing the space to the ORC as its Dunedin headquarters.

The building’s design incorporates cultural elements developed in partnership with mana whenua, with works by Kāi Tahu artists integrated throughout the interior and exterior of the building.

These designs reflect mana whenua values of kaitiakitaka, rakatirataka, manaakitaka and te mana o te wai — expressing care for te taiao, inclusive leadership, and the protection of freshwater and environmental quality for future generations.

Aonui was selected as the name for the building due to its mana and significance in both te ao Māori and Kāi Tahu tradition and was endorsed by kā runaka across the region.

Customers needing assistance tomorrow and Tuesday can still contact the council via phone or email.

Port Otago acquired the building in 2021 and in 2023 the council-owned company and the council announced a 40-year lease agreement; initially for 20 years then followed by two 10-year right-of-renewals.

Construction was originally due to be completed by Christmas 2024, but was moved to a later date.

A council report last year said the cost of the full project was estimated at $56.4million.

The future of the organisation is under a cloud, as the government is proposing to do away with regional councils.