Darfield's Selwyn Gallery building reopens

17 March 2017 at 9:07 am

Orion turned the lights back on at the Selwyn Gallery today after repairing the 90 year old building following damage sustained during the 2010/11 earthquakes.

Built in 1927 as the local power board office, the Selwyn Gallery building is owned by Orion.

Advances in remote management of power technology have meant Orion now occupies a small space in the rear of the building. For the past 17 years the building has been home to the Selwyn Gallery, managed by the Malvern Community Arts Council.

Orion CEO Rob Jamieson says he is pleased to be returning the building to the community.

“The Selwyn Gallery is an essential part of the history of both Darfield and Orion. The earthquakes taught us all that a strong sense of community is indispensable and it was important to both Orion and the wider Darfield community that the building be repaired.

“We are pleased to give the building a new lease on life so it can continue to provide a showcase for local artists for years to come.

“With many historic buildings lost in the area, it was a good opportunity to play a part in the refurbishment of a treasured local community facility,” said Mr Jamieson.

Repairs included repairing the gallery ceilings, wall linings, exterior brickwork and repainting. Some structural steel was also added to strengthen the 1960s addition to the original 1927 brick building.