40 | T T Bernadette Cooney Awards reflect ‘community effort’ The company clinched a Gold Award and a Value Award for the seismic strengthening and restoration of the Temuka Courthouse Museum in the Commercial Project Under $1 Million category. Photos: Graham Cadigan Timaru Construction Timaru Construction has reaffirmed its capability as a heritage building specialist with a standout result at the 2025 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards. The company clinched a Gold Award and a Value Award for the seismic strengthening and restoration of the Temuka Courthouse Museum in the Commercial Project Under $1 Million category. This follows a Gold won the year before for the new build of St Mary’s Church in Pleasant Point in the Tourism and Leisure category of the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards. For Timaru Construction owner and project coordinator Graham Cadigan, the awards are a reflection of both team and community effort. “We’ve really only entered over the last couple of years, and been fortunate to pick up some golds,” says Graham. “These awards are really for the community, especially those core people involved in really driving the project forward. Without them, it would never have happened.” The wins also proved the provincial construction company could step up to national competition. “We might be a smaller rural contractor, but we’ve shown we can go toe-to-toe with the big city firms,” says Graham. The $600,000 Temuka Courthouse Museum seismic strengthening and restoration project spanned 12 months from 2022, requiring the strip-out of original interior features, strengthening the brick structure with concealed steel bars, and then reinstatement of all heritage linings and joinery. The upgrades also included modern insulation, fibre-optic cabling, and new lighting and heating systems – all without compromising the building’s historic charm. The result was an increase in the building’s seismic rating from 34% to 67% of the New Building Standards. Originally built in 1901, and designed by government architect John Campbell, the Edwardian Baroque-style Temuka Courthouse served as a judicial building until 1979. Since 1982, it has operated as the Temuka Museum, under the ownership of the Temuka & Districts Historical Society. “Collaboration was key to the success of the courthouse museum, the Timaru Construction team facilitating remotely with the Wellington-based structural engineer,” says Graham. Award judges praised the construction team’s “thoughtful planning and craftsmanship,” highlighting how the strengthening work was “unseen but brilliant”. They added: “This is a well-executed project that protects a much-loved heritage building... enhancing resilience without compromising its character.” The new St Mary’s Catholic Church at Pleasant Point was another community-driven award winner, taking home Gold in the Tourism and Leisure category of the 2024 Commercial Project Awards. Timaru Construction recreated the spirit of the original through recycled timber and salvaged interior elements, while meeting the highest of modern building standards. Judges praised the technical execution, especially the intricate work required for the steep roof, and the deep connection to community identity. Another notable seismic-strengthening project successfully undertaken by Timaru Construction is the historic Croft Rest Home in Timaru. “The quality of our workmanship on the Temuka project was a contributing factor to securing this contract,” says Graham. “The build team shifted gear from Temuka directly to the rest home project, which has seen seismic upgrades and refurbishment of office and communal spaces.” PROUD TO SUPPORT TIMARU CONSTRUCTION LTD WALLBOARD STOPPING AND INTERIOR PLASTERING INTUMESCENT FIRE RETARDANT SYSTEMS ROOF COATINGS AND MAINTENANCE INDUSTRIAL AND EPOXY COATING SYSTEMS RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PAINTING AND DECORATING CONCRETE CUTTING AND DRILLING CONCRETE GRINDING AND POLISHING RESIN AND SPECIALIST FLOOR TOPPING 0800 RANGER EXPERT TEAM EXPERT KNOWLEDGE QUALITY RESULTS www.ranger.co.nz coatings@ranger.co.nz REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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