Cracks which have appeared in an internal wall of Oamaru's Opera House after its $10.3 million makeover have not affected the safety of the building, the Waitaki District Council said yesterday.
The Otago Daily Times received phone calls about cracks in the building - several on an internal wall on the second floor between the old Oamaru Borough Council chamber and administration offices, and in the north-facing external wall.
The callers suggested the building had structural problems arising after the redevelopment project, which included earthquake and structural strengthening.
Council chief executive Michael Ross yesterday said, in response to an approach from the Otago Daily Times, that since the reopening of the Opera House in February last year, several cracks had appeared and a door frame into the council chambers had twisted on the internal wall.
The wall was one that, at the request of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, had been left in its original condition. For the wall construction of the original building plaster was applied over wooden laths.
The problem had been investigated by the council.
"The council has recently received a second opinion which indicated additional loading on this internal wall," he said.
Structural steel within the roof, used to strengthen the building, appeared to have inadvertently directed extra load on to the wall, likely causing the "cosmetic damage".
The council intended to investigate these findings further.
Consultants had also inspected the crack on the north facade of the building. The front facade facing Thames St had been repaired, cleaned and restored, but no work was done on the others because of the cost.
Mr Ross said the crack on the northern facade was likely to be a result of the long-term settlement of the building.
It had been there for a considerable time before the redevelopment and was unlikely to be linked to the cracking of the internal wall on the opposite side of the building.
"In the interim, we can assure the community there is no risk to public safety and that the council will be investigating and resolving the issue," Mr Ross said.
