Gore's Hilbre Avenue water tower, a fixture on the town's skyline since 1948, has been demolished, completing a major stage of the Hilbre Avenue redevelopment project.
The demolition was completed on October 9. It follows the earlier removal of the former treatment building, reservoir and contaminated materials from the site. The tower stood for more than 78 years.
Gore District Mayor Ben Bell said many residents would remember the structure. "The Hilbre water tower has been a well-known landmark in Gore for more than 70 years and many residents will have strong memories of it," Bell said. "While it is the end of an iconic structure, it is also an important step in delivering a safer, more resilient and modern water supply network for our community."
Council structural asset engineer Terry Trotter said considerable planning had gone into the project because of the age and condition of the structures. "The tower had reached the end of its useful life and its removal is an important milestone for the wider water infrastructure programme," Trotter said.
The work is part of a broader programme to upgrade Gore's water supply system to meet drinking water standards overseen by Taumata Arowai. Last year, new pipelines were installed beneath the Mataura River, linking the Jacobstown and Coopers wells with the new East Gore water treatment plant and the Hilbre Avenue site.
With demolition complete, concrete crushing will now take place on site. That material will be used for foundation works of the new reservoir before the site moves to its next stage of development.
Concrete crushing is expected to continue for around one week. Site fencing remains in place and the adjacent footpath stays closed during that time.