Tuakana Hostel Project Update 11

We are well underway with the demolition of the Tuakana Hostel in Napier following the completion of the timber salvage and asbestos works.

After meticulously planning, we have fine-tuned our methodology to ensure site specific controls are implemented throughout the demolition process, these controls have proven to be very successful as the project tracks along smoothly.

We segregated the east wing into 8 separate areas, methodically working through the building footprint focusing on one area at a time. We are utilising our 23T Cat excavator to safely break down each section of the building to ground level, sorting the waste and loading out. The final demolition debris is manually handpicked to ensure we don’t compromise the integrity of the bidum cloth barrier protecting the contaminated soil beneath.

There is a constant flow of trucks coming and going from site removing the demolition waste as we progress, minimising any down time. We have wood, steel, concrete and general waste bins on site to ensure we maximise all salvage opportunities by separating building materials for recycling or repurposing.

It is a requirement to have an archaeologist onsite during the foundation removal to monitor the potential discovery taonga (Māori artefacts), burial sites/kōiwi (human remains), or Māori archaeological sites. To date we have uncovered some 19^th century glass bottles.