Post Office too costly to save

JOHN BISSET/ Fairfax NZ

BUYERS FOUND: Richard and Tracey Lane have bought Waimate's old post office.

Waimate's old Post Office building is to be demolished, to the dismay of heritage advocates.

Richard and Tracey Lane have bought the council-owned building, with settlement date set for April 24.

However, Richard Lane said they had decided to demolish the building, as it would have cost more than $250,000 to strengthen it to the required standard.

"It's a decision I didn't want to make but, in the end, I simply couldn't make it work any other way," he said.

"I have a strong sentimental attachment to the building. My first ever job was at the Post Office."

He hoped the building replacing it would host about three businesses once complete. "It's a long process but I hope by this time next year, we would have at least started construction on the site," Lane said.

Waimate Edwardian Heritage Society secretary Elizabeth Niven was upset by the news.

"We hoped the the facade could have been maintained," she said. "The town does not have many buildings of this stature. It's always sad to see part of a place's history disappear."

Originally posted here:
Post Office too costly to save