HEB Construction

Lyttelton’s new town square

provides food for the soul

It’s well known that the 2011 Christchurch earthquake wrought a trail of destruction across the city. Less well known is the fact that community spaces can help restore people’s health and wellbeing after devastating natural disasters.

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PROJECT: Albion Square, Lyttlelton CONTRACTOR: HEB Construction R ecently built Albion Square, located in the middle of Lyttelton, is a standout example of what is being achieved in the Canterbury earthquake rebuild – one that has rejuvenated the hearts and minds of quake-weary townsfolk.

The powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake in 2011 saw the Square’s namesake – historic Albion Hotel – suffer irrevocable damage. It was torn down and the place where Albion Square now sits became a spartan, unofficial community hub and gathering place.

That was, until Christchurch City Council bought the land and tendered to formally create a community space for the port town.

Awarded the contract in March 2014, civil construction company HEB Construction approached the build of Albion Square with sensitivity and keen engagement with the local community to understand their wants and wishes.

The end result is a landmark town feature, sparkling with perfectly sculpted terraces, red rock retaining walls, an intricately paved stage, fruit trees, herb gardens and an interactive playground for kids.

The icing on the cake is the Lyttelton War Memorial

Cenotaph – lovingly repaired and relocated to the top of the Square – as well as a traditional carved entranceway aptly named Ohinehouroko (place of peacefulness).

HEB Construction business development manager Ian McNally says construction of the $2.4 million Albion Square was complex, with multiple work fronts across several levels.

Construction was undertaken on a close-fitting urban site during a cold winter. On top of this, there were tight client deadlines. And a curve ball was faced early on with contaminated soil found on parts of the site. These issues were all handled with aplomb, as befitting HEB’s decades of civil construction experience.

Extensive and intricate formwork was required for the construction of the steps and terraces, says Ian.

“Multiple curves of different dimensions meant that prefabricated formwork was out of the question, so these were built on site in a precise but especially time-consuming manner. In the end, numerous individual pours were required.”

Approximately 250 square metres of exposed aggregate pathways were put together, alongside 500 square metres of paving, he says.

A number of specialist subcontractors were involved in the project, including carpenters, stonemasons, paving specialists and metal fabricators. Ian says good relationships were developed with all subcontractors, not to mention an army of suppliers, local groups and other key stakeholders.

A town square wouldn’t be complete without finishing touches designed for maximum comfort; so a number of top quality furnishings were also built and installed, including prefabricated seating units, bollards, drinking fountains, balustrades, handrails and timber decking.

In a nod to sustainability, reclaimed timber from Lyttelton’s former Cattle Jetty was used for the Square’s pergola, seats and planters.

Underscoring HEB Construction’s commitment to involving the local community, pupils from Lyttelton Primary School were invited to help plant the raised gardens with shrubs and herbs.

According to the school, this has helped instil an important ‘sense of ownership’ of Albion Square among the children.

The works have been widely acclaimed, with the client – Christchurch City Council – singling out HEB’s dedication to stakeholder management and “no surprises policy”. That the project came in on time and under budget was also appreciated.

The ribbon on the Square was officially cut in November 2014, just in time for commemorating the centenary of New Zealand’s entry into World War One. But it’s safe to say that the citizens of Lyttelton had fallen in love with it well before then. It’s not hard to see why. This thriving community hub is sure to provide good times well into the future. l