Earthquake Strengthening
Our Church Building needs strengthening to withstand earthquakes if we are to continue using it into the future.
The Earthquake Strengthening Project began in 2012 and is continuing.
The very latest, at 15 June 2018:
Since we decided no to accept the tender for strengthening work in October 2017 we have formed a Seismic Review Committee (SRC) to review all aspects of the project. Hutt City Council (HCC) have also become involved and have communicated with the Diocese Property Manager. Both are very supportive of our progress so far.
A second engineering consultant, New Zealand Consulting Engineers Ltd (NZCEL), are now working on the project. They have delivered an Analysis of our Church building using computer based modelling that indicated a better inherent building strength than the earlier work. Their 3D computer model avoids over simplification and better recognizes all parts of the building contributing to its seismic performance. The same consultants have recently done similar work for the Anglican Cathedral and St Francis de Sales church in Wellington and in both cases the conclusions were positive for the parishes and largely accepted by Wellington City Council.
Some on-site checking of existing bracing above the ceiling in the church was carried out on May 2, photos below to enhance the reliability of the analysis.
NZCEL delivered a draft Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) on 10 June which is currently being finalised and will then be passed to HCC who are likely to require it to be peer reviewed. Once agreement is reached between the peer reviewer and our consultant, it is hoped that HCC agree to remove their present “earthquake prone” notice - although removal may be subject to some recommended work to strengthen the roof bracing being undertaken first. The currently envisaged timeline is for the DSA to be lodged with Council in 2 to 3 weeks, then some time for peer review and Council response. Provided HCC substantially accept the DSA total remedial works should be substantially less than previously indicated.
Because on 20 March HCC notified us that the Church is earthquake prone and rated it at 10% of the National Building Standard. In response Reverend Karl and our Wardens decided that we shall temporarily cease using the Church and move to the Church Hall. Rev. Karl's Palm Sunday sermon has more detail on this. A copy of the HCC notice is here.
The SRC report to the 8 April AGM is HERE. This report was updated with Power Point slides. The slides and some additional ones are HERE.
Further detail on progress will be available soon.
Since we decided no to accept the tender for strengthening work in October 2017 we have formed a Seismic Review Committee (SRC) to review all aspects of the project. Hutt City Council (HCC) have also become involved and have communicated with the Diocese Property Manager. Both are very supportive of our progress so far.
A second engineering consultant, New Zealand Consulting Engineers Ltd (NZCEL), are now working on the project. They have delivered an Analysis of our Church building using computer based modelling that indicated a better inherent building strength than the earlier work. Their 3D computer model avoids over simplification and better recognizes all parts of the building contributing to its seismic performance. The same consultants have recently done similar work for the Anglican Cathedral and St Francis de Sales church in Wellington and in both cases the conclusions were positive for the parishes and largely accepted by Wellington City Council.
Some on-site checking of existing bracing above the ceiling in the church was carried out on May 2, photos below to enhance the reliability of the analysis.
NZCEL delivered a draft Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) on 10 June which is currently being finalised and will then be passed to HCC who are likely to require it to be peer reviewed. Once agreement is reached between the peer reviewer and our consultant, it is hoped that HCC agree to remove their present “earthquake prone” notice - although removal may be subject to some recommended work to strengthen the roof bracing being undertaken first. The currently envisaged timeline is for the DSA to be lodged with Council in 2 to 3 weeks, then some time for peer review and Council response. Provided HCC substantially accept the DSA total remedial works should be substantially less than previously indicated.
Because on 20 March HCC notified us that the Church is earthquake prone and rated it at 10% of the National Building Standard. In response Reverend Karl and our Wardens decided that we shall temporarily cease using the Church and move to the Church Hall. Rev. Karl's Palm Sunday sermon has more detail on this. A copy of the HCC notice is here.
The SRC report to the 8 April AGM is HERE. This report was updated with Power Point slides. The slides and some additional ones are HERE.
Further detail on progress will be available soon.
Click to see captions and larger versions of the photo gallery.
You can Contribute to our Earthquake Strengthening Fundraising Project HERE.
Earlier Information on Our Earthquake Strengthening Project
The information below should be read in the context of progress with the project when the material was written.
As at Christmas 2017:
We have had Engineering Drawings prepared and the project was recently put out to tender. Vestry decided not to accept the only tender that we received and this decision was agreed to by a Special Members' Meeting on Sunday, 29 October 2017.
Vestry are now in the process of creating and empowering a Seismic Review Committee that will support our Church Wardens as we continue on our EQ journey and explore future options for our church.
For more background see the articles on our strengthening journey in the November 2017 Building Bridges magazine. Note that the articles on pages 4 to 7 there preceeded the decision to reject the tender.
We have had Engineering Drawings prepared and the project was recently put out to tender. Vestry decided not to accept the only tender that we received and this decision was agreed to by a Special Members' Meeting on Sunday, 29 October 2017.
Vestry are now in the process of creating and empowering a Seismic Review Committee that will support our Church Wardens as we continue on our EQ journey and explore future options for our church.
For more background see the articles on our strengthening journey in the November 2017 Building Bridges magazine. Note that the articles on pages 4 to 7 there preceeded the decision to reject the tender.
Check out the Engineering Drawings for the project.
The drawings you'll see there were updated in October 2015, for the Tenders stage of the project. There are likely to be further changes before construction begins. The model that has been on display in the Fellowship Area at St Paul's, and its photos below relate to this set of drawings.
Read the Building Strengthening Project Brochure From March 2015, for an overview of the initial projected costs and funding. Note that the financial information there has been superseded.
Read a 2015 Hutt News article about the Fundraising Launch Function .
Inside (May 2018) and Outside (September 2016) Roof investigations.
Structural Strengthening views of model, original design.
The Strengthening Project Inaugural Dinner and Presentation.
