More than 20 architects made their pitch for the Roxburgh Entertainment Centre rebuild this week.
At last week’s Teviot Valley Community Board meeting, acting chairman and ward councillor Curtis Pannett said 22 architects had submitted designs.
Four had been shortlisted and would make presentations to community board members, Central Otago District councillors and project steering group members tomorrow.
The steering group members were Roxburgh residents Alastair Monteath, Sally Smith, Sarah Moore and David Weatherall, Cr Pannett said. He would represent the community board and councillor Martin McPherson was also on the group.
Also part of the steering group were council representatives group manager community engagement David Scoones, property and facilities manager Garreth Robinson, and project manager construction Tara Bates.
When an architect was selected they would consult with the community before developing their plans, which would take about four months.
At a public meeting last month, Cr Pannett said the rebuild could be the last project in town ‘‘in a very long time’’ if proposed council amalgamation went ahead.
Cr Pannett also said the council had banked $6.4 million from insurance on the building.
About $200,000 had been spent on site clearing but that might be recovered in interest earnings, he said.
Mr Robinson said at the meeting in May if the final plan required significantly more money than budgeted, the project would have to go to the council’s long-term plan.
‘‘And I’ll state this, if it’s going to the LTP the build gets delayed - that’s the bottom line - it has to go for consultation and it’s probably about a two- to three-year delay.’’
The new building was expected to be open by the end of 2028, he said at the time.
The historic community hub - one of the world’s longest-running cinemas - was destroyed in a fire on Waitangi Day last year.
