Colouring in clock tower

The three designs put forward for Carterton’s clock tower – the status quo [white and grey]. IMAGES/SUPPLIED

Costs equal for options

GIANINA SCHWANECKE
[email protected]

Carterton residents will have their say on the new paintjob for the town’s clock tower, after councillors voted to consult the public on the issue on Wednesday.

The three design options are the status quo [white], a colour scheme that embraces the 1960s architecture of the tower, and a multicolour scheme.

There is also potential for ground lighting, tower lighting, and regular colour changes in the future.

Councillor Greg Lang, who chairs the Carterton Placemaking Advisory Group, told the committee the group had been actively involved with the earthquake strengthening work undertaken on the clock tower.

“This is about paint and what we will see in the day. The three designs evenly represent the community.

“The clock tower is an iconic structure and it’s owned by the community so they should have the final say.”

He said whatever the community decided would be indicative of their vision for the future of Carterton.

“We are giving the people of Carterton a chance to have their say.”

Cr Brian Deller, who is also on the advisory group said how the multicolour design would be implemented was still open and could include lighting elements.

Cr Jill Greathead raised concerns about the costing of the different designs.

Though final figures had not been calculated, infrastructure, planning and regulatory manager Dave Gittings told the Policy and Strategy Committee that each design would cost about the same and the repainting had been budgeted and accounted for in the earthquake strengthening work.

The consultation process will be conducted by the Placemaking Advisory Group who will report back to the committee for a final decision.

Details on how voting will be carried out are yet to be confirmed though a disc voting system was floated.

The most popular design will determine the final colour scheme.

The original tower was built above the Carterton post office in 1907, but it was badly damaged in the 1942 Wairarapa earthquake and had to be demolished.

The bells and clock parts from Loughborough, Leicestershire, went into storage until the tower was replaced in 1962 by the present 13-metre-high structure.