Museum could have space for expansion
WHILE the Invercargill City Council’s team is working at full steam to build a new museum by December 2025, work has already started to give space for an expansion of the building.
The designated site could be used to build an art gallery, Mayor Nobby Clark said.
Last year, the council approved the ambitious Project 1225 plan which will see the construction of a new regional museum by December 2025 at the site on Queens Park as the current museum has been closed since 2018 due to safety issues.
In 2011, a parcel of land at the Queens Park’s tennis court was consulted on and approved for reclassification which would allow the construction of the museum.
Now the council wants to reclassify the other half of the tennis court for a potential expansion of the project.
During an extraordinary community wellbeing committee meeting on Tuesday, council’s parks and recreation manager Caroline Rain presented a report to start public consultation on the matter.
She said the process was required as the design would go outside the footprint that council’s already consulted.
‘‘We want to ensure the current management plan can be amended from the current footprint which has been consulted on to a larger one — should that be required.’’
Deputy mayor Tom Campbell asked her if the envisaged museum in the current size could be built in an area already approved.
Ms Rain confirmed this was the case and said the consultation was for giving space for a future expansion.
It would have any impact on the current Project 1225 project, she said.
Mr Clark said he and Project 1225 lead Cr Nigel Skelt asked staff to start this process now as it could take seven to eight months for reclassification.
‘‘Knowing that will take six, seven, eight months to do and we need some public consultation, we thought future proof [the project] by going into an extended area.
‘‘That could give us an option for a later stage to consider an art gallery there.’’
Cr Skelt assured his fellow colleagues despite the challenges, the project was progressing well with the initial phase of design being carried out.
Consultation was expected to be live from February 9 until March 8 with a public hearing to be held on March 14.