Earthquake report on city library.

Andrew Crow made this Official Information request to Wellington City Council

The request was partially successful.

From: Andrew Crow

Dear Wellington City Council,

Today it was reported that the Wellington city library will close due to earthquake concerns.

Was the building not checked after Kaikoura earthquake?

How are we only find problems two years later?

Under OIA I request:

1. A full copy of any structural assessment done in the three months after the Kaikoura earthquake.
This must include what company did the assessment, dates of the assessment, and findings or recommendations.

2. A full copy of any structural assessment done in last three months.
As above, this must include what company did the assessment, dates, and recommendations.

3. Any information related to why a structural assessment was done in question #2.
I.E. what changed to make a new assessment required?

4. Any other documents that can help the public understand why a building was found to be unsafe two years after an earthquake, yet assessed as safe directly after that earthquake.

5. Costs of both assessments.

6. Relevant entry from risk registers.

7. Internal emails related to the decision to close the library.

Yours faithfully,

Andrew Crow

Link to this

From: BUS: Assurance
Wellington City Council

Hi Andrew

Thank you for getting in contact regarding the closure of the Central Library.

I initially want to draw your attention to the information on the Council Website about the closure - https://wellington.govt.nz/services/comm...

I also want to reiterate that the building is not damaged however the vulnerabilities identified using new guidelines from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) are such that we have made the decision to close the building to the public and relocate our staff while next steps are planned.

At the link I have provided, you are able to read the engineering assessment memo and the engineering assessment that was completed by Aurecon New Zealand Limited on 18 March 2019. I hope this provides you with some initial clarity as to how and why we made the decision to close the Library.

Further to that, my team will progress the questions you have asked under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to respond as soon as possible, but no later than 16 April 2019.

If you have any further questions in the meantime please feel free to come back to me.

Kind Regards

Ashley Fry
TL Complaints & Information Assurance | | Wellington City Council
P +6444991902 | M +64278030344 | F
E [email address] | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.

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Link to this

From: BUS: Assurance
Wellington City Council


Attachment FYI response.pdf
86K Download View as HTML

Attachment WCC Library TDE Report 2.pdf
4.6M Download View as HTML


Hi Andrew

Please find attached the full response to your questions.

Kind regards

Ashley Fry
TL Complaints & Information Assurance | | Wellington City Council
P +6444991902 | M +64278030344 | F
E [email address] | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.

show quoted sections

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