Feedback sought on open day
WHAT could the future of Clyde’s past look like?
That was the question on the minds of Clyde Museums team members as they welcomed the public into the museums surrounding the streets of Clyde for the I Love Clyde Heritage Day yesterday.
Museum volunteers stood at the museum doors with Postit notes and questions, asking people to write down their opinions on the museums.
A feasibility study looking at options for the development of the museums’ buildings and collections was commissioned by the Vincent Community Board last year.
Two museums are regularly open to the public — the Blyth St museum and the Clyde Railway Station.
The Briar Herb museum, near the railway station, was closed to the public more than two years ago but was open yesterday especially for the heritage day.
The museum was closed because six of its 10 buildings were classed as earthquakeprone.
Central Otago District Council Vincent and Teviot Valley property and facilities manager Christina Martin said there was a wish to make the Clyde historic precinct a ‘‘fourth museum’’.
Clyde Museums curator John Hanning said the aim of the day was to receive comments and feedback from the community on how the museums should be used.
‘‘Do we keep the same sort of things or not?
‘‘Today, getting feedback from the visitors is most important. The [Blyth St] museum is in pretty good order. The main thing with Briar Herb is the seismic situation.’’
Public feedback would be collated and passed over to Arrowtownbased firm Origin Consultants to complete the feasibility study.
A report on the feasibility study’s findings would be presented to the Vincent Community Board at the beginning of next year, Ms Martin said.
Council staff and museum volunteers at the event said the turnout was better than expected.