Town clock will ring out

New contractors began remediation work on the Carterton clock tower on Tuesday. PHOTO/ARTHUR HAWKES

ARTHUR HAWKES
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Renovation of Carterton’s iconic and controversial clock tower began again on Tuesday.

In a statement, Carterton District Council said, “We know you’ve been wondering what’s happening with our clock tower upgrade.

“We are happy to report that we have secured new contractors and from today they will recommence remediation work, which is allowed under Alert Level 3.

“Once all the work including reinstalling the clock mechanisms has been completed, we’ll get on with the task of painting the clock.”

Holmes Construction, based in Greytown, will undertake the restoration work on the iconic tower, which was initially started by another construction company.

Holmes Construction’s previous projects include the Carterton Events Centre, which was delivered on time and within budget. They also specialise in historic construction.

Part of the renovation work will focus on protecting the landmark from the same fate that befell its earlier iteration.

The existing tower was put into operation in September 1962, replacing the original clock tower atop the post office that was damaged in the 1942 Wairarapa earthquake; all told the catastrophe cost the region almost $2 million [$188 million in today’s economy].

More than $200,000 has already been spent on the clock tower’s renovations, but there’s more work to be done, including a seismic wrap, plastering and painting.

The estimated cost to complete the remainder of the tower was about $350,000, which would take the overall repair bill to more than $500,000.

But with the clock’s upgrades now firmly back on, several residents said they were looking forward to it chiming again.

In a social media post, Dale Williams said, “there’s something quite comforting and reassuring hearing the town clock ring out over the community, and if ever there was a time for a hint of normality, it’s now.”