Auckland's Iconic Tepic Baths re-open   23 Jun 2012

The doors to Auckland’s iconic Tepid Baths has reopened to the public once again on Saturday 23 June after an ambitious $15.8 million restoration and upgrade.

Mayor Len Brown and Waitemata Local Board Chair Shale Chambers officiated at the formal reopening ceremony of the 98-year-old city centre icon.

“This is an exciting occasion for those of us that know and love the Tepid Baths,” says Mr Chambers. “It is wonderful to see this historic building restored to its former glory for the benefit of all of Auckland and for people that live, work and play in the city centre to have a sleek and modern swimming pool and fitness centre at their disposal,” he says. "This painstakingly crafted project has not only delivered new acilities, it has belnded the old and new admirable - pieces of the oriinal truss are on display and have been replicated in the new roof strucutre, the heritage facade has been restored, 1920s cabanas reinstated and the original kauri panelling can be found on the staircase to the gym."

The Teps as they are affectionately called, closed in April 2010 and council officers and contractors began a fast-tracked programme of works to repair its aging infrastructure, protect the heritage values of this category A heritage building and revamp the swimming and fitness facilities.

Mayor Len Brown acknowledges the scale and importance of this restoration project.

“The former council, the action groups that got behind saving this building and the Waitemata Local Board are to be commended on their drive and enthusiasm for delivering this project and ensuring such a recognisable part of downtown Auckland stands strong.”

“Thousands of Aucklanders have childhood memories of visiting the baths – long may that continue,” says Len Brown.

Work on the building has included:

• Replacing all the decayed concrete in the pool, floor and walls of the building

• Modifying and retiling the main and learner’s pools, making the main pool wider by one lane and adding a ramp to the learners pool

• Painstakingly removing 100 years of paint from the facade and carefully restoring plaster and paintwork and applying a breathable paint system

• Removing the decayed roof trusses and installing new trusses built to the original design

• Reinstating cabanas around the main and learners pools, matching the 1914 design as much as possible

• Upgrading water and air treatment systems to modern standards

• Installing state of the art gym equipment in a climate-controlled space overlooking both pools

• Installing the iconic and recognisable Tepid Baths neon sign over the building.

• Installing a new artwork on the Sturdee Street facade called “Memories of the Trusses” which celebrates rust and the trusses as a key driver for the project.

www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

ENDS

 

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