Council has closed the old concrete block changing rooms at Hakatere Huts, following a structural engineering assessment that showed serious cracking and displaced blocks.

Group Manager of Business Support Leanne Macdonald said the changing rooms were built on the lower terrace at Hakatere in 1968 and now considered prone to significant damage in an earthquake.

“We’ve had a structural engineer give it a thorough assessment and that has raised enough concerns for us to close it to the public. It’s now been officially classified as an earthquake prone building and taped off to prevent people using it.”

The assessment identified structural weaknesses in the very lightly reinforced concrete blockwork walls and shear cracks through the mortar joints.

Mrs Macdonald said the changing rooms were typical of facilities built in that era and had served their purpose well to this point. “But we can see daylight through some of the cracks and there’s not much steel reinforcement. It’s a potential danger and we’ll move to have it demolished.”

The building is almost 10 metres long and divided into male and female changing rooms.

Mrs Macdonald said the building had been considered for renovation and a new life as an information kiosk, but its condition had put paid to those plans. “It may well be that we can repurpose some of the timber and roof structure, and leave the concrete pad for some future development.”

Public toilets are in a separate facility across the road from the changing rooms. These are programmed to be replaced within the next 10 months.