Arthur’s Pass National Park Visitor Centre moves
17 April 2019
The Department of Conservation (DOC) has moved its visitor centre services ahead of a planned upgrade to the Arthur’s Pass National Park Visitor Centre later this year.
The temporary visitor centre is located just up the road next to Arthur’s Pass Motel and Lodge in the national park village.
Work will start later this
year on the planned upgrade of the Arthur’s Pass National
Park Visitor Centre to bring it up to 100% of the National
Building Standards.
“The upgraded visitor centre
will be an exciting opportunity to help visitors and the
local community to connect with conservation,” says DOC
Operations Manager, Kingsley Timpson.
DOC has been
planning a full upgrade of the building for some time.
Following the 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquakes, engineers
certified the building as safe for public and staff use but
with some areas closed to access.
“Interim
improvements were made to the building at the time with
isolation walls added and new beams inserted to ensure staff
and visitors were safe.
“Recent reassessments of the
alterations in the building have led us to decide to close
it early and operate from a new temporary site to ensure
there is no risk to visitors or staff.”
1.4 million
visitors travel through State Highway 73 every year with
140,000 of them calling into the Arthur’s Pass National
Park Visitor Centre.
“The planned upgrade ensures
the visitor centre will continue to be a valuable resource
for the region,” says Kingsley Timpson.
DOC’s visitor centre is open 8.30am to 4.30pm seven days a week.
–Ends–