Baywave to close immediately

Baywave TECT Aquatic & Leisure Centre will close immediately for seismic upgrades.

A preliminary draft of a BECA report has assessed the centre as being a Grade D earthquake-prone building.

A Grade D building represents risk 10-25 times greater than a new building under the latest earthquake-strengthening guidelines.

The report indicates that the building has 'significant deficiencies” and recommends that seismic remediation work be undertaken with 'high priority”.

The report is yet to undergo internal BECA verification and peer review. However, Bay Venues management has chosen to act immediately rather than wait for the final version.

It is anticipated these immediate remedial works will take about nine days, with the facility to reopen in time for the National Underwater Hockey Secondary School Championships and the swimming and waterpolo events of the AIMS Games.

'We regret any disruption to our patrons, but safety is our number-one priority and for that reason we will close the building immediately,” says Bay Venues chief executive Gary Dawson.

'We will keep our staff and the public informed as we work to set this right.”

Gary says the draft report was sent through Friday evening and upon receiving it first thing Monday morning he immediately called an urgent Bay Venues Board meeting.

A meeting with Tauranga City Council Mayor Greg Brownless and CEO Garry Poole and two BECA senior consultants followed, resulting in a recommendation that the facility be closed.

BECA undertook assessments that included the following:

  • Visual checks inside and out
  • Reviewing all planning and engineering documentation along with modelling of the building
  • Core samples taken from 10 concrete areas
  • Checks of the hydro slide structure and adjoining area

They found that several parts of the building had 'significant deficiencies” and Bay Venues will be undertaking immediate remediation works to repair these deficiencies.

The engineers' recommendations included the following:

  • That the building's bracing system be strengthened (which is the immediate remedial work Bay Venues will be undertaking)
  • That further checks be undertaken on the cladding, window support systems and pre-cast concrete stairs
  • That the possibility of liquefaction be investigated

Gary says this remedial work will improve the integrity of the building and move it from Grade D to Grade C – a risk 5-10 times greater than a new building. Achieving Grade C means the facility is at an acceptable standard to open.

Bay Venues will work closely with its other venues to minimise disruption caused to all patrons, including the fitness centre, learn to swim, childcare centre and swimming squads.

Staff are also being communicated with and will either be re-deployed to other Bay Venues employment where possible or will be on leave with pay.

Bay Venues will release further information as it emerges.

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22 comments

Surely....

Posted on 29-08-2017 14:39 | By groutby

.....Tauranga City Council are taking the p**s now aren't they?..of course this and probably most of their structures don't come up to "today's" seismic requirements, 'cause they changed them!..I seriously hope the Council can be put under statutory management soon, they simply have no idea how to make a good cuppa betwen them, let alone run a city based mainly on one reoccuring theme..gauging the ratepayer. Sell this building to private business (which has just lost major value of course since this announcement....duh)..and stick to something you MAY know a little about...please !


Outrageous

Posted on 29-08-2017 15:11 | By mutley

Who is responsible for such a new building being so far out of compliance ?Surely someone is accountable for this ?


opportunity

Posted on 29-08-2017 15:18 | By outback

Close it permanently demolish it and build a 50 metre pool with lots of spectator seating


my gosh

Posted on 29-08-2017 15:23 | By old trucker

All ready, who signed this off, when built, surely this would have taken years to plan, and was built after woman mayor Jane Benge was voted out,and this Liquefaction thing, what a lot of rubbish, it would be easier to pull it down, than waste money,(OURS) to strengthen it, 2 so called men looked at it and said close it down,this is STUPID, NO need for this venue, there is a 10,000 square mile of water to swim in, all these people employed,and this is high priority, the TCC buddie system is here again,this would have already been costed before this announcement, JUST LEAVE IT,surely this must have been signed off by a so called engineer in TCC, there are plenty of childcare places, and fitness centres instead of here,and staff on paid leave etc, what a laugh,my thoughts only on this,Sunlive No1, Thankyou,10-4, out. phew.


@ old trucker

Posted on 29-08-2017 16:07 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Good one mate, just so you know, all COuncil buildings have a need of a MASSIVE, MAJOR refit after 10 years and each and every 10 years after that. Result: lots of work for the faithful consultants and building companies. Look for the sneek and hide factor when it comes to teh cost, bet it will be a million in 9 days, record breaking stuff as usual, no tender, no quote, just open slather got you ratepayer suckers again mate!


really?

Posted on 29-08-2017 16:15 | By soo

Agree with you old trucker. Should be left to private business, there are so many childcare and fitness centres with loads of available spaces, no need to sting the ratepayer.


@ outback

Posted on 29-08-2017 17:04 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Mate, does say that kind of thing, they will take you seriously at any oppurtunity to spend a few tens of millions for no reason at all.


@ mutley

Posted on 29-08-2017 17:05 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Council and its matey consultants most likely. But then they are always looking to over dramatise anything to get more toys, more of a spend up.


@ groutby

Posted on 29-08-2017 17:07 | By MISS ADVENTURE

It was and is already a loss making, by desire and design. The huge cost at the time has been inflated massively since, the reality is that they have to keep putting up props under it to try and keep it afloat. The outcome will be otherwise a fionancial disaster verified and confirmed for bay Venues otherwise.


WTF?

Posted on 29-08-2017 17:08 | By astex

Very rarely does something happen that really makes my blood boil to the point where steam emits from my ears but this fiasco really takes the cake for utter stupidity. The damn thing has been there for many years and there has been no earthquake or damage caused but it MUST be closed IMMEDIATELY. No thought to the many staff who need the wages to survive, the many people that rely on the Gym and most importantly the hundreds of children that use the pool to learn to swim. Surely a better plan could be made where the pool stays open until the work is ready to proceed and disruption could be minimized. Never mind, the council will continue to be paid, although not worthy of any payment, and probably life for management will continue as normal. Fully agree with groutby. Statutory management MUST happen in Tauranga, and soonerratherthanlater.


THANKYOU,

Posted on 29-08-2017 17:33 | By old trucker

Miss adventure groutby and mutley, you are awesome,and thankyou to Sunlive who WON THE BEST NEWS which is AWESOME ,Thankyou.10-4 out. phew.


OMG

Posted on 29-08-2017 18:27 | By overit

For once I am lost for words.


Ridiculous!

Posted on 29-08-2017 20:39 | By jed

It is just stupid that buildings must be constructed to comply with future construction standards . So long as a building complies with the code of the day then I am happy.


govt

Posted on 30-08-2017 06:07 | By Capt_Kaveman

needs to step in


@ astex

Posted on 30-08-2017 12:04 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Don't worry about the Council Staff, plenty of rates there ... (HAHAHAHA) to just keep on paying them. This mess is no different to the drama-queen closure of the Hot Pools a few years ago, no idea when reopening, who knows what the cost is before during or after ... but it was a lot.


@ jed

Posted on 30-08-2017 12:07 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Code of the day? So then the CHCH cathedral is fine as is then? I dont agree with TCC's reckless spendups all over the place but really this TCC outfit pays a fortune to build these massive buildings with huge ratepayers debt and in the end they rarely get past 20 years of lifespan.


Responisible

Posted on 30-08-2017 13:38 | By rastus

This is a relatively new building - if it now seems to be a danger then I would be looking for the idiot who designed the place and got pretty well paid for it. It's no argument to say that standards have now changed and now made it a dangerous place - what crap if that is the argument - earthquakes are nothing new and earthquake design is nothing new - somewhere someone has got to be responsible - we need to turn off this convenient tap to the poor ratepayers near empty cash box!


Majic tricks

Posted on 30-08-2017 15:06 | By Hunterway

Surely it should be tidalwave and asteroid proof as well?The majic tricks performed by an engineers pencil are simply amazing.


Settle down guys

Posted on 31-08-2017 09:29 | By Papamoaner

November 14 was a significant event. A few minor improvements have been identified and will only take an estimated NINE DAYS to fix. Some of the media wording could have been better. It all seems fair enough to me - sorry - odd man out here, but have to be honest and frank. Standing by for incoming mortar fire! Got my hard hat and plastic underpants on!


Papamoaner.......

Posted on 31-08-2017 22:10 | By groutby

.....I like your optimism in this case, the comments however suggest a serious "no-trust" in council procedure whatever, which surely cannot be a surprise. But, let's see if in fact the required "works" are indeed minimal, or miraculously, an "independent" (un-named) advisor has suggested an unbelievable amount of money be paid to the "preferred" TCC contractor to remedy the now "unsafe", evacuated building...it keeps on getting so much worse, almost every day. Watch this space.....


@ groutby

Posted on 06-09-2017 15:14 | By MISS ADVENTURE

You are on to it. Looks like any building that is TCC created will have a maximum of 20 year lifespan.


@ Groutby

Posted on 09-09-2017 22:03 | By MISS ADVENTURE

You say "suggest a serious "no-trust"..." in fact the difference between those that raise issue v's the white-washers who live by 'all is fine, roses everywhere, wonderful and lovely" is the simple fact of being awake to the trails of repeat crap that are created and come out of City Hall. The faithful believers in la-la-land lovingly hold on and cling to anything warm and fuzzy despite the overwhelming evidence otherwise. Why do you think so many unsuited to the job end up in Parliment, i.e. those with a silver-tongue but nothing else going for them.


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