Tauranga’s Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre faces demolition or major repair as seismic issues revealed

Serious seismic issues have been found at Tauranga’s Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre and city leaders will have to decide whether to demolish the 56-year-old building or significantly refurbish it – potentially at a cost of
more than $128 million.

A detailed seismic assessment of the recreational and sports centre has classed it as a “high-risk” building but a Tauranga City Council executive says the council has been advised there is no immediate risk to anyone using the building.

The building is at Memorial Park on the corner of Devonport Rd and 11th Ave and is attached to Memorial Hall and close to Memorial Pool. An early cost estimate already suggests the issue could cost ratepayers more than $128m.

Reports obtained by the Bay of Plenty Times through the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act confirm the building was considered “high-risk” due to a low earthquake safety standard. The reports also confirmed the hall and pool were either at or near the end of their lives.

In November 2022, the seismic assessment found the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre to be a Grade D building under the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering grading scheme.

Grade D buildings represent a risk to occupants 10 to 25 times greater than expected for a new building, indicating it was a high-risk building, the report stated.

The New Building Standard rating (NBS) is a scale that indicates expected seismic performance compared to a new building. A building with an earthquake rating of less than 34 per cent NBS fulfils one requirement for a territorial authority to consider it to be an earthquake-prone building. A building rating of less than 67 per cent NBS is considered an earthquake risk building by the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering.

The Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre has a 25 per cent NBS rating.

The seismic assessment recommended structural strengthening to bring the building in line with the 67 per cent NBS.

In a 2019 preliminary geotechnical assessment, also released under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, CMW Geosciences found three geotechnical hazards for the youth centre’s site. These were static settlements, groundwater and liquefaction, and lateral spreading.

In the report, CMW Geosciences said that “given the magnitude of predicted liquefaction” its recommendations included shallow ground improvement – comprising putting in up to 1200mm-thick geogrid reinforced gravel raft to dissipate liquefaction.

It also recommended deep ground improvement comprising a grid of gravel, concrete or timber rigid inclusions drilled or driven at nominally 2.5 metres to 3.5m centres to depths of 12m to 15m below existing ground levels to support future development. This would need 600mm-thick geogrid reinforced gravel load transfer platforms.

Deep pile foundations were also recommended to support a grid of foundation-grade beams to tie into the ground floor slab. The pile depths would need to be up to 20m below existing ground levels.

The report referenced a proposed development of the site, suggesting a footprint covering all three facilities plus most of the neighbouring Tauranga Mini Golf course.

“No development plans are currently available, however… it is our understanding the proposed development will comprise a combination of indoor and outdoor aquatic zones and indoor recreational court areas with a plan area of approximately 3000sq m,” the report stated.

Council city development and partnerships general manager Gareth Wallis told the Bay of Plenty Times there was no immediate danger or risk to people using the youth centre.

However, “it can’t stay as it is”.

“We have to do something with the building.”

In addition to the seismic testing, a check for asbestos revealed four rooms that could not be entered due to being locked and the key missing.

SQN Consulting said in its report that while most of the building did not test positive for asbestos, the rooms that could not be accessed should be presumed to have asbestos inside.

The seismic and asbestos testing was prompted through a wider study into Memorial Park, the state of the existing facilities, and its future.

Issues with Memorial Pool and Memorial Hall had already been highlighted in a 2020 Memorial Park Recreation Hub Feasibility Study.

The study found the pool, Tauranga’s oldest aquatic facility, having opened in 1958, had several key concerns such as a need for an extensive upgrade of masonry, the tanks showing significant deterioration and losing significant amounts of water with a complete replacement expected to cost less than fixing, technical work needed on its bore, and a 25 per cent NBS rating.

Memorial Hall, believed to have opened in 1975, was found to be in “poor condition” and coming to the end of its “useful life”.

Despite the findings, there were no concept plans for development at this stage, Wallis said.

“We know there are some seismic issues with the building, that we’re either going to need to address by refurbishing it, or one of the options is to pull it down and replace it with something new. We haven’t had that conversation with the commissioners. We haven’t done any work on what that might look like. We haven’t costed it. So that all starts beginning of July,” he said.

A report with these details was expected to be presented to the commission before Christmas.

There was no preferred option at this stage, Wallis said.

“Our gut feel is that the costs might not be dissimilar between the two options. We are talking about a 50-plus-year-old building. The reality is refurbishing old buildings, it costs money.”

A 2022 review estimated the total cost of rebuilding an aquatic centre and sports hall/fitness centre would be $128,220,000. The estimate excluded GST but took into account inflation to June 2026.

Other exclusions expected to also cost plenty included relocation of the mini-golf course and mini-train track, RMA consent fees, an outdoor waterpark, asbestos removal and an upgrade of council infrastructure services.

In emails seen by the Bay of Plenty Times, the technical principal used to consult on a detailed seismic assessment, whose name was redacted, stated low NBS ratings reflected the presence of structural shortcomings and the lack of resilience in these systems, “not the levels of shaking at which they might fall”.

“A rating of less that 34 per cent NBS is not intended to stop people from accessing and occupying the buildings before a mitigation plan with timeframes can be developed and implemented.”

However, the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre did not present an immediate danger to occupants, the email stated.

Other emails between council staff described the centre as a “challenging facility”, damaged and in need of maintenance.

The emails also revealed plans for the “Memorial Recreation Hub” were being based on the centre being demolished with new courts built.

“Options for four and six courts will be investigated.”

The youth centre was opened in 1967 and most recently renovated in 2006, allowing provision for roof bracing, the addition of stairs and lifts, storage areas and a new foyer, plus the demolition of some spectator seating and a mezzanine floor.

Wallis said the council was aware of concerns for some leaking issues and “bits and pieces” with the building but these were “nothing as significant as seismic issues”.

The need to address these presented a chance to better cater for Tauranga and Te Papa peninsula’s growing population, Wallis said.

“We have an obligation to our community to provide these facilities,” he said.

“It’ll be a game-changer in the community in terms of having those facilities six blocks from town in one of the only two large green spaces in this part of town.”

An initial design phase and concept design are expected to begin next month and are expected to include stakeholder engagement and feedback.

Community engagement was expected to follow this.

Kiri Gillespie is an assistant news director and a senior journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, specialising in local politics and city issues. She was a finalist for the Voyager Media Awards Regional Journalist of the Year in 2021.