Rotorua’s famous blue baths closed after earthquake report

Brad Boniface / Staff

Rotorua’s famous Blue Baths, which first opened in 1933, have been closed due to concerns about the strength of the earthquake.

The future of Rotorua’s famous blue baths remains uncertain after the Rotorua Lakes Council closed the building, citing the results of a detailed seismic assessment.

The latter council commissioned a complete geotechnical survey of the land under the Blue Baths.

From this survey, an assessment in January 2021 indicated that blue bathrooms were meeting only 15 percent of new building standards. 33 percent or less are considered earthquake risk, 34 – 67 percent are considered earthquake risk, and 68 percent or more is considered acceptable.

The report, along with a wave of earthquakes in Rotorua on January 25, led the council to shut down the building the following day as a precaution while further testing was conducted.

Read more: * Seismic assessment review launched on hotel building * New report downplays earthquake risk on West Coast mental health building * Rotorua Museum renovation on track * Earthquake-prone buildings under scrutiny in Clutha region

The assessment confirmed that the building is seismic at 15 percent NBS and that the ground under blue baths could be liquefied in a major earthquake.

Jocelyn McCairy, director of the council’s operations group, said that while it was disappointing, people’s safety should come first.

“The health and safety of people is imperative. We know that the Blue Baths are an important building for the Rotorua community but with the building being assessed as earthquake prone, we have made the decision to keep its doors closed for the time being.

“We consider the risk of allowing a company to continue operating from the building, in its current state, to be unacceptable.

“We will now work through our choices to determine the future of blue bathrooms.”

In the meantime, a fence is being placed around the building to ensure the safety of people.

Due to the natural environment of Rotorua and the age of the buildings in the area, in recent years it has also been found that other buildings in Rotorua pose an earthquake hazard.

Earthquake strengthening work Te Aka Mauri – Rotorua Library, Fenton Street iSite, has previously been completed and work on strengthening the Rotorua Museum and Sir Howard Morrison Center for the Performing Arts is currently underway.

These buildings were designated as seismic hazard by legislation that was introduced after the Christchurch earthquakes.

The Blue Baths is an Art Deco building originally built by the Ministry of Tourism and Spas to cement Rotorua’s worldwide reputation as a geothermal spa destination.

First opened in 1933, it was very popular until roughly the mid-1950s.

Blue Baths closed in 1982 and various options for its future were considered and discussed.

It reopened in 1999 when board and developer Mike Romanis entered into a joint venture to restore it. It has been used since then as an event venue and bathroom.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos