70 | T T Russell Fredric Stage two of the Holmes Wharf deck replacement project involved redecking and, as well as making the wharf safe for all users, allowed vehicle access to be reinstated. Banks’s Building Services BUILDING Challenging project a success P: 03 434 1232 | E: oamaru@laserplumbing.co.nz | W: www.oamaru.laserplumbing.co.nz • Onsite Wastewater Solutions • Service & Maintenance • New Homes • Home Heating Solutions • 24 hours, 7 days Laser Plumbing Oamaru - Your complete plumbing professionals 12 OUSE ST, OAMARU 03 434 5250 WINDOWS & DOORS TO SUIT YOUR LIFESTYLE nathan@vantageoamaru.com vantageoamaru.co.nz www.aoteaelectric.co.nz 4 Trent Street Oamaru | 03 434 8791 “Aotea is proud to be associated with Banks Building Services Ltd” ELECTRIC • COMMUNICATIONS • AIR CONDITIONING • FIRE Proud to be associated with Banks Building Services Ltd 24 Hooker Crescent, Twizel 224 Thames St, Oamaru www.hiflo.co.nz Phone: 0800 277 888 Email: info@hiflo.co.nz Oamaru firm Banks’s Building Services has added another significant project to the long list it has accumulated over 23 years in business. The company has the proven capacity to provide wide range of services, from multi-million dollar architecturally designed homes to light commercial projects. Owner Carl Banks describes the local economy as being steady in recent years, without extreme highs or lows. “We are quite lucky with the dairy and (other) farming around us. “It certainly keeps everybody busy and there’s just enough commercial work. We do have a tendency to do quite a bit of light commercial and a lot of schoolwork and for the (Waitaki District) council.” A recent project Banks Building Services completed was stage two of the Holmes Wharf deck replacement. Popular with anglers, walkers, families and tourists, the wharf was originally completed in 1907 for ships of up to 10,000 tons, was modified in the 1960’s and last used by cargo vessels in 1974. Stage two of the multi-year project involved redecking and, as well as making the wharf safe for all users, allowed vehicle access to be reinstated. The first stage of the project originally stalled in 2019 when council officers examined its structural integrity and discovered about 70 piles that were more than 75% deteriorated. These were remediated under a separate contract by placing steel casings around them and casing them in cement using specialist divers. Stage two involved the removal and replacement of the sub-deck and top deck timbers and strengthening of deteriorated bearers and beam timbers at its eastern end. “We had already done the first stage two years ago which helped put us in the running (for the contract); we knew what we were up against,” Carl says. The first stage involved removing 4,500 lineal metres of timber, which comprised 200mm x 100mm Australian Jarrah hardwood, and replacing it with H5 treated pine. “The second stage was about 14,500 lineal metres, basically 15km of timber, and it took 58,000 screws to hold it together. It all had to be rated to about a 20 tonne rating for vehicles.” Because of wharf’s heritage value, its existing rail tracks had to be reinstated which presented quite a challenge for the placement of the planking as the tracks are curved in parts. Because of the nature of the work environment, management of the site, including the health and safety aspects presented some other technical challenges, especially when it came to fall protection, Carl says. “We looked at putting down nets, but it wasn’t going to work because once we put the wharf (planking) over the top we couldn’t remove our nets. We ended up planking everything underneath to stop any falling. “We would do the demolition and plank between 100 and 200 square metres at a time.” Stage two was started on April 5 last year and scheduled for completion by Christmas, but “quite a lot” of extra timber elements had to be replaced and repaired and additionally, the weather was not kind. “Terrible; there was wind every day basically. The first contract we worked right through winter, we had a lot of frosts, but we got nice days out of it. “This time round, even right up to Christmas, we had a lot of nor’ east wind which would blow spray right across the wharf. “Just before Christmas we were in full thermals.” Despite this, the project came in on time, taking into account the extra work required, and under budget. “It was a good result in the end, it looks very good.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=