Demolition has begun at the site of Waiwera Thermal Resort.

More than half the resort’s structures have been crushed to rubble and the iconic waterslide tower is set to be taken down next month.

NZ Herald Focus visited the site a week after the decision was announced to destroy what was left of the dilapidated and vandalised resort.

The final few pools that remain are set to be dug up in the coming weeks and the land recontoured. If some holes need to be filled for safety or other reasons, the contractors will use crushed concrete for that.

Statues of twin elephants and a seal would be kept, although Urban Partners doesn’t yet know what to do with them but hopes a buyer might incorporate them into future plans.

The cafe building and entrance will then be demolished in October.

The park fell into disrepair after a stalled refurbishment fell through and liquidation in 2019.

Demolition on the former Waiwera Thermal Resort site north of Auckland. Photo / Carson Bluck

Last year, Urban Partners contracted Colliers to sell the property, but there had been no sale.

Greig Staples of owners Urban Partners said the existing structures have reached a point where they offer no value to a buyer.

“The prospect of a much-needed upgrade in 2018 initially brought excitement, but when the operators went into liquidation the resort was in an unviable state. Since then, it has been an ongoing struggle to secure the site against vandalism, which has degraded the property further,” Staples said.

He blamed the previous operators, referring to - but not naming - late Russian investor Mikhail Khimich and American Leon Fingerhut whose business in 2018 started renovations but never continued.

“The former leaseholder commenced a refurbishment as the resort was falling into disrepair. Some of the infrastructure was dismantled and left in a state where it was uneconomic to restore.” Staples said.

The demolition company is recycling as much material as possible, crushing concrete for future use and to reduce truck trips.