Plan to future proof culture

The Forrester Gallery, Thames St, Oamaru. June 2014. Photo by David Bruce.
The Forrester Gallery, Thames St, Oamaru. June 2014. Photo by David Bruce.
A $4.5 million redevelopment of the Forrester Gallery to house the North Otago Museum and Archives will depend on about $3 million coming from somewhere other than the coffers of the Waitaki District Council and its ratepayers.

This was emphasised at a council meeting this week when approval was given to include the Cultural Facilities Redevelopment Project in the Long Term Plan for feedback from the public.

The council is proposing to contribute $1.5 million raised by internal loans, over three years from next financial year, to move the museum and archives to an upgraded and extended Forrester Gallery, and raise another $3 million for the project from grants and fundraising.

Principal and interest payments on the loan would increase rates by $60,000 in 2016-17, $102,542 and $230,120 respectively in the two following financial years.

The proposal includes an expectation that the cost of operating the facility would be partly covered by leasing retail space, sponsorship, donations, charges for programmes for non-residents, for special exhibitions, and guided tours.

Some councillors questioned whether it was realistic to expect 20% of costs to be recovered within a 10-year period, as outlined in the proposal.

Cr Tavendale said those figures had to be realistic, otherwise the project ''could crumble in the public's eyes''.''

If we can't make the project realistic and viable with the figures, it's not worth doing,'' she said.

It was the first time Cr Tavendale had seen plans that were viable.

''It was an opportunity to have a fantastic project in the heart of a town that is doing so well at the moment''.

Cr Guy Percival said the project should be dependent on the $3 million external funding. Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher agreed.

''I have no intention of going further than what we have committed [$1.5 million internal loans].''

The future of the library, the archives, the museum and the gallery has been under consideration for about six years.

The first plan was to first upgrade the gallery, then the library, archives and museum a few years later, at an estimated cost of more than $13 million, partly funded through property sales.

Last year, council proposed combining the museum and gallery on the gallery site, and storing the institutions' collections at the museum site, at an estimated cost of $8 million.

The latest plan is to combine the museum, gallery, archive and storage at the gallery.

People will have a chance to make submissions on the project when the Long Term Plan goes out for public consultation between March 23 and April 24.

david.bruce@odt.co.nz

 


The project:

• Brings together archives, museum and gallery on Forrester Gallery site.

• Would cost $4.5 million for initial part of cultural complex in Oamaru.

• $1.5 million from ratepayers.

• $3 million from grants and fundraising.

• Would increase rates by $230,120 in 2017-18.


 

 

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