Sarjeant Gallery extension underway

Construction has started on the extension to the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui. Making the announcement last week, Regional Economic Development Minister, Shane Jones, said, “With a number of local contractors employed to work on the new build this is good news for the region as it, along with the rest of New Zealand, recovers from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Around 800 people will work on the project over the course of construction, along with the refurbishment of the original building which includes seismic strengthening.

“In the long term, 135 indirect jobs are expected as a result of this investment and the expanded gallery, already a jewel in Whanganui’s crown, will become even more attractive to visitors when we are again able to travel freely around the country. It’s essential that we invest in the right projects to make sure regions are well-placed to ride the wave of economic recovery,” Mr Jones said.

The new wing of the Serjeant Gallery will extend the exhibition space which showcases a nationally significant art collection and taonga held on behalf of iwi.

The gallery’s refurbishment follows 10 years of fund-raising for the multimillion-dollar projects, including hundreds of individual donations from the local community. Whanganui District Council has also identified at least 12 projects, worth $260 million, that could be fast tracked with additional Government funding. These have been submitted to the Government’s Infrastructure Industry Reference Group, a taskforce seeking out “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects that can start quickly to stimulate the economy and reduce the economic impact of COVID-19.