Heritage centre proposal
A proposal for a multi-million dollar heritage centre in Timaru reflects a need for the council to look decades rather than just years ahead, a councillor says.
The proposal, flagged in the Timaru District Council’s Long Term Plan, would result in the museum’s old site being used for archival and exhibition preparation, while the new site would host new exhibitions and also provide potential storage space for the Aigantighe Art Gallery’s collection.
Timaru District Councillor Steve Wills said the idea of a heritage hub had been floating around for the last couple of years.
‘‘We have to look at the current state of our facilities for arts and heritage and look forward to what’s required for not just the next few years, but also the next few decades,’’ he said.
The proposed South Canterbury Museum relocation and upgrade would begin in 2021.
According to the proposal documents, the existing museum site on Perth St has limited expansion options and not enough room for storage. The proposal is to move the new museum and heritage centre onto council-owned property adjacent to the Theatre Royal.
The old museum site will be used for collection storage, exhibition preparation and educational purposes, while the new site would eventually host all of the permanent and new exhibitions. Travelling exhibitions and new local ones will also be installed on the new site.
It is proposed that the new site would be between 1000-1500 square metres, roughly the same size as the current museum.
A council-backed feasibility study in late 2014 found the current site was unfit for purpose as a future museum.
Timaru District Council spokesman Stephen Doran said the council needed to ensure it could add to its collections in the future. ‘‘History is being made every day. Museums are not only meant to be a reflection of our community as it was in the past, but how it is now,’’ Doran said.
Doran said the council’s preferred option is that the new museum would be sited with the Theatre Royal as part of a cultural precinct in south Stafford St.
Wills said the proposed heritage centre would ‘‘provide a central hub for collectively displaying museum and art works and enable more visiting exhibitions to be hosted. It will also provide space for educational programmes to be delivered’’.
The council has also proposed major upgrades to the Theatre Royal. Timaru District Council property manager Matt Ambler said the theatre, which opened in 1911, was in desperate need of a rebuild
‘‘The carrying capacity of the flying tower is simply not up to the modern standard of shows,’’ Ambler said. ‘‘The seats are getting old, and the stage is on a slope. The backstage area is tiny by modern standards. Everything needs a refresh.’’
Ambler said the upgrade of the seats might reduce the theatre’s capacity, but the viewing experience will be much improved. An upgrade could bring in several shows Timaru would otherwise have missed out on. ‘‘It’s a really exciting proposal.’’
The full upgrade to the Theatre Royal was projected to cost about $10-12m, and a ‘‘behind the scenes’’ upgrade about $8.7m.
‘‘Refurbishing this current building means we are able to retain this landmark heritage building and preserve its Victorian era features,’’ the consultation document says.
Submissions on the Long Term Plan close on April 9.