Plans to temporarily relocate the Dunedin Community Gallery have been confirmed by the Dunedin City Council.
The gallery's Princes St home, owned by the council, was to become the new home for the i-Site Dunedin Visitor Centre, at present located in the Municipal Chambers in the Octagon.
The visitor centre was being forced to move during construction work associated with the $45 million redevelopment of the town hall and Municipal Chambers complex.
In a statement released yesterday, council strategy and development general manager Kate Styles confirmed the reshuffle of the "critical" council assets.
The community gallery would move its activities to a leased property at 300 Moray Pl, between Dick Smith and the TAB, which had "considerable foot traffic and easy access to parking", she said.
The gallery would be operating from its new home from October 1, while the visitor centre would be operating from the Princes St building from October 12, she said.
No delays were expected between the closure and reopening of either the gallery or the visitor centre.
"This is a good solution to a knotty problem that required some give and take from all parties.
I'm grateful that, in the interests of progress, we have reached an agreeable solution with all those involved."
Mrs Styles was not available for further comment yesterday.
The redevelopment of the Municipal Chambers was scheduled to start next February, but i-Site staff wanted their move brought forward to avoid disrupting their operation during the busy cruise-ship tourist season.
The move was expected to last about six months, although that would depend on construction progress, council customer services general manager Grant Strang said last month.
About 20 community groups were booked to use the Princes St gallery in the next six months.
Their bookings would be transferred to the gallery's new home.
It is understood representatives from up to 200 organisations - including past and present gallery users - are being contacted about the change by council customer service staff.
Louise van de Vlierd, the i-Site Dunedin Visitor Centre team manager, has been elected to the national i-Site board for a three-year term, beginning on September 15.
She will join two other elected representatives and five appointed by Tourism New Zealand from around New Zealand.
Miss van de Vlierd said her new role would provide greater representation of southern interests on the board at regular meetings held around New Zealand.
