According to Dr. David Clark, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, a significant renovation of Dunedin’s famous Hillside Workshops is scheduled to be completed by early 2024.
The Government is investing $105 million on KiwiRail’s Hillside Workshops, helping to restore the location to its former grandeur by allowing for the base of track workers from all across Dunedin as well as workers for waggon assembly and locomotive and waggon maintenance.
The construction contract for the project was given to the Otago-based construction company Calder Stewart last week.
“Hillside has been an important part of the Dunedin community for almost 150 years, employing many thousands of locals over that time. After facing closure in 2012, this Government is giving the facility a new lease of life by supporting more apprenticeships and creating new skilled jobs for Kiwis by assembling rail wagons here in New Zealand,” David Clark said.
“The investment also benefits the regional economy, supporting more than 200 construction-related jobs.
“Over last nine months there has been a lot going on at Hillside, as unfit buildings have been torn down and demolished. But now, the rebuild really gets going.”
A number of dilapidated, outdated structures have been demolished, and later this year, construction will start on a brand-new, contemporary mechanical and assembly workshop. New offices, a track depot, and new rail layouts will come after this.
“We are committed to reinvigorating the country’s railway after decades of under-investment. This helps us get more of our growing freight volumes off the roads and onto rail, reducing congestion and transport emissions,” David Clark said.
The Hillside redevelopment is financed with close to $20 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to modernise maintenance and other facilities, and $85 million from Budget 2021 to facilitate waggon assembly.
More than 170 people will be employed at Hillside after the reconstruction is finished, including the 45 new employees needed to assemble the roughly 1,500 wagons. Apprentices and trainees will make up 10% of any new hires.