Heritage New Zealand chief praises Timaru’s buildings

Saturday, 24 August 2024

Heritage New Zealand chief executive Andrew Coleman outside the Landing Service Building in Timaru - one of Timaru’s many historic buildings.

Timaru’s historic building portfolio is a unique selling point for the town, and more should be made of it, the leader of the government agency in charge of the country’s heritage says.

Heritage New Zealand chief executive Andrew Coleman, who was in town this week to speak about insurance and heritage buildings, said he enjoyed walking along Stafford St, taking in the streetscape.

“You stand on every intersection in the CBD and you see an array of heritage buildings from every street,’’ Coleman said.

“You should be delighted by the building portfolio here and you should be making much more of them [the heritage buildings].’’

In the Timaru District there are 127 buildings, areas, and sites that carry a Heritage New Zealand listing.

Heritage New Zealand chief executive Andrew Coleman speaks in Timaru on Wednesday.

In Timaru’s CBD alone were Chalmers Church, the Theatre Royal, St Mary’s Church, the Gladstone Board of Works Building, the Landing Service Building, Customhouse, the Tekapo Buildings, the former Royal Hotel and the former Public Trust Building.

Coleman said when comparing the high street to other main streets throughout the country, he was unsure of anywhere else that had a complete set of heritage buildings.

“I’m not too sure Timaru appreciates that there is so much potential here.’’

He said given his role, people would say “you would say that’’ about the buildings.

“But I get to go around the country a lot, so I am comfortable in saying that of Timaru.’’

A picture inside the Theatre Royal, Timaru, taken in March 2017. (File photo)

He said it was important not to look at the buildings as individual sites, but as a collective.

Earlier this month, Heritage New Zealand southern director Christine Whybrew said the Timaru District Council’s decision to dump the Theatre Royal and Heritage Hub project was disappointing.

The Theatre, which opened in 1877, has social significance as Timaru's first permanent venue for entertainment, and has a Historic Place Category 2 listing.

Coleman said the most important part of the proposed project, for the agency, was that it was part of a bigger plan for the area, and complemented the former Majestic Theatre across the road.

He said the buildings could be a drawcard for cruise ship passengers, and could encourage walking tours through the CBD.

Heritage New Zealand chief executive Andrew Coleman says there is “real value” in Timaru’s heritage buildings. He is pictured speaking in Timaru this week.

“The passengers would love that.

“They won’t see such an intact heritage precinct as they would in Timaru.’’

The use for the buildings now may not be what they were built for in the first place, he said, but that was “regenerative reuse, giving them another purpose”.

The Majestic Theatre was a picture theatre, but in today’s climate it had a lot of potential for other uses, he said.

Heritage New Zealand chief executive Andrew Coleman said of Timaru, “You stand on every intersection in the CBD and you see an array of heritage buildings from every street.”

“I’ve had dinner on the stage of the Isaac Theatre in Christchurch, they adapt its use.’’

He saw “real value’’ in Timaru’s heritage buildings and the Landing Service Building was a great example of doing it right.

“And it is part of an inviting precinct.’’

He said the argument that heritage buildings could be expensive to restore could be countered by the cost to demolish one.