Still no public answer for Wānaka $310k tile failure

The Queenstown Lakes District Council will not reveal the reason why some of Wānaka's new $310,000 tiles along the Te Ara Maumahara Millennium Path started failing a few months after installation.

A council spokesperson says the answers are reliant on the remedial solution being chosen.

"Given these discussions with relevant parties are ongoing, it’s not appropriate to provide further public comment until they’ve concluded and the way forward agreed."

This is after previously saying more answers on the tiles investigation could be expected after July 1, when all parties involved would have a meeting.

Council confirms that all parties met on July 1 for the scheduled meeting.

"Discussions around the cause of the issues are directly linked to the most suitable remedial solution that we’re currently working through," the spokesperson says.

"All parties are now working together to further determine the most suitable remedial solution for the tiles, and we look forward to sharing more details with the community in due course."

The tiles were laid in July last year, but within a few months several had started to chip and crack. A member of the public contacted Crux about the council investigation and the failing tiles.

They say that the installation project was below industry standard and the problem was contractors did not initially install expansion joints between the tiles, but instead grouted them in place.

They say this didn't allow the tiles room to expand in the heat or compress during cooler temperatures. 

The Queenstown Lakes District Council commissioned the $310,000 tile refurbishment project to replace the original tiles that were installed and paid for by a member of the community.

The original project was a way for the town to mark the start of the new millennium.