The Cromwell Hall redevelopment has been shelved and the Cromwell Community Board has voted to take another look at the hall's fate and the community's needs.
Board members voted on various resolutions yesterday to rescind previous decisions and explore new ideas but the result was the proposed $5.6million hall redevelopment is off the drawing board.
Members had mixed views and debate became heated at times during a two-hour discussion of a report commissioned about the hall.
Board member Robin Dicey, who has pushed for new design and build options to be investigated, said the existing memorial hall had ''done its day'' and the board must ''look forward rather than backwards''.
Members Shirley Calvert, Annabel Blaikie and Werner Murray supported his motion to rescind a previous resolution to continue with the hall refurbishment, saying more research into the best type of facility for the community needed to be done.
Member Nigel McKinlay, who wanted the previously agreed $5.6million refurbishment to be done, said the board's toing and froing had been a ''shambolic process'', and if the project was shelved the hall would end up being a ''white elephant'' and the board would be ''a laughing stock''.
He and member Anna Harrison and chairman Neil Gillespie had wanted the hall development to continue, saying it was the ''only expedient option'', and one that had been decided after lengthy community consultation. For the board to ignore that, ''beggars belief'', Mr Gillespie said.
The Morrison Lowe report commissioned by the board said it would cost about $2million more than the previously agreed $5.6million redevelopment to build a new hall on the existing floorplan. The additional cost and time would also mean more public consultation was required, and further time delays would then result in increased construction costs through escalation. It would be at least 18 months before construction could begin on the existing footprint, the report said.
But the four board members who wanted other options explored said it would be remiss not to look at the bigger picture when the Cromwell community was expanding so rapidly. They said now was the perfect time to look at whether a different building and/or a different site could result in a facility to better meet the community's long-term needs.
The board will now discuss at its next Cromwell growth workshop whether there is a more appropriate alternative site and scope for a new hall building.
They will also discuss another of the options discussed at yesterday's meeting - to maintain the existing hall. This could cost between $1million and $2.5million, Central Otago District Council property and facilities manager Mike Kerr said.
Views from the public gallery after yesterday's meeting were mixed.
One of the women behind a petition of almost 900 people who wanted the hall redevelopment to proceed, Helen Hucklebridge, said the signatories would be ''gutted''.
Another woman praised the ''progressive'' board for taking a broader look at the issue and considering the possibility of a new multipurpose facility.
