A temporary museum promoting a proposed High St cable car line will be built on part of Mornington Park.
The Dunedin City Council unanimously agreed at yesterday's full council meeting to lease part of Mornington Park, in Eglinton Rd, to the Dunedin Heritage Light Rail Trust.
Members of the trust sat in the public gallery for close to four hours to hear the fate of their proposal as councillors dealt with matters such as the coming annual plan, rates and a slew of matters related to Dunedin City Holdings Ltd.
However, when the item was called shortly after 4.30pm, it took only minutes for councillors to agree to the proposal.
Members of the trust could be heard celebrating in the gallery.
"That's bloody great,'' one said.
The council will lease 72sq m of undeveloped land in Mornington Park - part of the Town Belt - to the trust to build the museum.
The lease will stand for five years, with two further terms of five years available to the trust if the council is satisfied with the quality and maintenance of the museum.
The museum will house and display a heritage grip car and trailers which were used on the High St cable car route that ran from the Exchange to the Mornington terminus, according to the council report on the proposal.
"The proposal forms stage one of a three-stage cable car project that the trust is seeking to advance,'' the report said.
"Stage two involves the permanent construction of a cable car house, museum, cafe and viewing platform at Mornington Park.
"Stage three is the proposed re-establishment of a cable car line along High St.''
The trust provided a bank statement proving it could fund rental costs.
The rent was set at $170.25 plus GST for the 2015-16 year.
Speaking in support of the proposal, Cr Neville Peat said: "This is a project that will enhance the transport heritage of Dunedin greatly''.
