To move one, another must first be bowled.
Last June, Mountain Scene reported Queenstown’s council had allowed the former Queenstown Arts Centre building, on the corner of Stanley and Ballarat Sts, to move to Frankton’s Country Lane precinct.
That followed a protracted and frustrating process, which began in May, 2022, when council terminated the Queenstown Arts Society’s lease in what was originally part of Queenstown’s first high school.
While Country Lane initially hoped the building would be relocated, in two parts, around August last year, it’s still in situ.
Queenstown council’s property director, Quintin Howard, says before they move that building, they’ll have to knock down the one beside it.
Home to Queenstown Playcentre till late last year, that building was always pegged for demolition to provide additional carparking spaces close to the CBD.
It’s been empty since council took ownership of it on November 24.
Howard says asbestos testing found some in the exterior of the old playcentre — but none inside — so the ‘‘safe treatment of this will be factored into the demolition plan’’.
Country Lane ops manager Annika Grant says they’re now hoping to have the arts centre building on site by the end of April.
