Council not on top of museum
Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie has called out the Invercargill City Council for its management of the Southland Museum and Art Gallery.
Dowie visited two classes at Fernworth Primary School yesterday after she was invited by students who wanted to show her a video they had made about saving the museum.
Speaking after her visit, Dowie said her main concern was around the lack of planning that had led to the council closing the museum with no alternative lined up.
The council could hide behind the fact that the legislation did change at the end of 2016, but the original report commissioned in 2013 gave an indication there were potential problems, Dowie said.
Given the council’s desire to rejuvenate the inner city and the movement the Southland Regional Development Strategy was trying to generate the need to address the museum issues should have been debated more aggressively.
‘‘Arts and culture and obviously the tuatara, that’s a part of who we are in Southland.’’
Council chief executive Clare Hadley said it was always easy to be wise in hindsight, however, any criticism of actions taken in 2013 must be considered against the legislative framework of 2013.
‘‘The board believed its risk was acceptable in light of the fact that it was proposing a redevelopment then.’’
Southland Museum and Art Gallery committee chairwoman Toni Biddle shared the results of the peer review confirming that museum buildings were probably earthquake-prone with Hadley on March 26.
The risk to the public had to be mitigated, Hadley said.
‘‘Especially with the increased number of children likely to visit the museum in the school holidays, which were only weeks away.’’
Fernworth principal Carla Werder said the museum had been an amazing resource for the schools and families.
It was a warm and dry place with quality exhibits, Werder said.
‘‘Even if you went there every day of the year you could still find something new.’’
Many of the students at the school were talking about the closure the morning after the news broke.