The heritage clock tower in front of the New Brighton Library was damaged by the earthquakes and decades of exposure to the seaside environment.
Work to repair the structure began in July last year but the project was delayed due to more work being needed and the level 4 lockdown.
The restoration was carried out by Cook Brothers Construction Ltd and involved a significant upgrade of the structural integrity of the building, including replacing two cracked internal concrete floors and the inclusion of additional steel reinforcing and a corrosion prevention treatment for the concrete surfaces.
The final step was the repair of the clock’s mechanism. It has now been reinstalled, along with the clock’s hands and is operational.
Said Christchurch City Council head of parks Andrew Rutledge: "The tower is looking its best with fresh paint work in the original 1930s colour scheme.
"I think locals and visitors will see the iconic structure with fresh eyes after this very careful and thorough restoration,” he said.
"We do want to let people know that the mechanism for the clock is complex so there might be some initial, minor issues with its timekeeping accuracy.
"This will be monitored and some fine tuning might be necessary.”
Cook Brothers Construction also has the job of restoring the landmark Scarborough Clock Tower, which is expected to be fully operational by Friday, July 17.
The tower near Scarborough Park also dates back to the 1930s. It suffered structural damage in the quakes and its clock faces and mechanism had to be removed and restored. The four faces went through a careful process of restoration, with the key emphasis being on the retention of their original appearance.
Both clock towers were fenced and wrapped in protective plastic in 2018 while structural investigations were carried out. These detailed assessments revealed significant damage to the concrete and structural steel caused by the earthquakes and by leaks and environmental damage.
The scaffolding was removed from the Scarborough and New Brighton towers before New Zealand went into lockdown.
