April 23, 2017 2:00pm by David Farrar

The Basin

Wellington’s mayor is steaming in off a long run-up, and his target is the Basin Reserve’s historic Museum Stand.

The heritage-listed stand, which once contained the players’ tea room, was opened on New Year’s Day 1925, but has not been open to spectators since 2012 because it is earthquake-prone.

Strengthening it could cost up to $8 million, but knocking it down is estimated to cost about $800,000.

After years of debate on its future, Wellington City Council is aiming to make a decision by August. And it is now clear what mayor Justin Lester and his deputy Paul Eagle prefer.

“It’s going to be a very expensive option to have it strengthened and restored, and I’m not sure that can be achieved,” Lester said last week.

I tend to agree, but the same applies to the Town Hall which they are going to spend $100 million on!

The current closure of the Museum Stand deprives the ground of about 1000 seats, and the masterplan recommends demolishing it and creating a new grassed bank for spectators.

That seems sensible. If you want to watch cricket from a stand, we have the Stadium. The Basin is where you go to from cricket from the grass banks.