Museum debate heats up at hearings
The response to a $303m proposed revamp of Tauranga’s central city civic precinct was split at the hearings.
Pa¯ pa¯ moa resident David Holland challenged commissioners to guarantee the finished project would be completed within four years at no more than $303m.
“If I, as a developer, went to a financier . . . for $303m based on a concept plan with no apparent business plan, I would be laughed at and very likely never to be a client again.”
Tauranga Ratepayers Alliance representative Ross Crowley said there was no one coming into the CBD already and half of the proposed facilities as part of the $303m option were already in town.
Crowley said there were no measurable criteria to determine the project’s success.
In his view, including a museum would only serve to repel people from the CBD because if it were to recount a true version of colonisation, people would find it too confronting.
Submitter Chris Pattison said money for a museum would be “better spent on roading, widening key bottleneck bridges such as Turret Rd and Maungatapu bridge.
Pattinson said the proposed design of the civic precinct was “ugly” and suggested an architectural competition.
Submitter Doug Barnes said the plan in its entirety would be great and a museum was essential but asked commissioners to “consider the cost”.
Father of two Charlie Sherratt disagreed the proposed $303m option would fail to draw crowds.
“I know my kids, we would be down there every weekend.
“I was a designer for the Wharf St upgrade. Early on there was push back but you look down there now, it’s all restaurants and it’s just bustling.”
Marcus Knight, 12, asked: “Why does Tauranga not have a museum?” “Where are our stories told?”
Urban Task Force chairman Scott Adams, Mainstreet Tauranga chairman Brian Berry, Property Council NZ’S Logan Rainey and Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt all spoke in support of the $303m option.
Commissioners will decide how the delivery of the civic precinct redevelopment project will be phased and how it will be funded in June.