Tests have found no traces of asbestos in the habitable areas of the City Health Centre but the public health building will stay shut for remediation works which the ACT government is now planning.
The building has been shut since the start of July after asbestos-containing material was found during routine maintenance in a plant room, forcing all patient appointments to be rescheduled away from the multi-storey concrete building at the corner of Moore Street and Alinga Street.
The City Health Centre, on the corner of Alinga Street and Moore Street, remains closed. Picture by Melissa Adams
Infrastructure Canberra on Friday said it was allowing safe, controlled access for tenants to retrieve essential items.
“Specialist consultants have now completed air monitoring, testing and sample collection in all habitable areas of the building,” the agency said in a statement.
“Results indicate that asbestos-containing material (ACM) has not been detected in these areas under normal building operating conditions.”
The agency said it was now planning remediation works for the asbestos-affected areas of the building, which would remain shut until the work is completed.
“Decisions regarding reoccupation will continue to be guided by specialist advice,” the agency said.
The building is also home to the MSI Canberra Abortion and Contraception Clinic, BreastScreen ACT, the CanTEST pill testing service and the Canberra Innovation Network.
Last week, the building closure was extended for four weeks despite initial tests showing several busy areas across multiple floors were clear of asbestos-containing materials, even with the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system running normally.
“Current estimates indicate the closure may be required until 7 August to allow remediation works to be completed and to ensure the building can be safely reoccupied,” last Thursday’s update said.
Construction of the building, originally for the ACT Health Service, began in the 1970s before self-government, when asbestos was still widely used in building products in Australia.
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