Trust board wants museum redeveloped in same spot

Friday, 11 May 2018

Toni Biddle, chairwoman of the Southland Museum & Art Gallery Trust Board, outside the now closed museum in Invercargill.

The Southland Museum and Art Gallery trust board plans to redevelop the now closed museum in its current footprint and location.

However, board chairwoman Toni Biddle said they did not yet know how it would be achieved.

Invercargill architect Bob Simpson says he ''won't go away'' as debate continues over the decision to close the Southland Museum and Art Gallery building.

The trust board closed the museum building last month because it was deemed an earthquake risk, with the Invercargill City Council supporting the decision.

Council chief executive Clare Hadley said there were issues of 'critical structural weakness'.

Biddle said the trust board had commissioned strategic planner Tim Walker to help guide the board on the best ways to redevelop the museum.

The review, expected to take six months, would encompass the work done in the past decade and bring it together to provide a plan forward.

It would include public consultation, she said.

Biddle said the board's 'ultimate goal' was to achieve a redeveloped museum and art gallery in the same footprint and location.

'We cannot at this stage commit to a firm timeframe, or cost estimate but are making every effort to progress the redevelopment as quickly as possible.'

Invercargill architect Bob Simpson, an outspoken critic of the decision to close the museum, said keeping the museum in the same footprint 'isn't the current debate'.

'What's important in the short term is jobs for competent staff, and opportunities for kids and the public to have a Southland art and heritage experience.'

Another public protest against the museum closure would be held outside the museum on Sunday, followed by a public meeting at the Invercargill Workingmen's Club.

Simpson said city council bosses and museum trust board members were welcome to attend.

'We aren't going away.'

He saw no reason why the museum could not reopen within a week, with the information that had been provided.

Biddle said keeping the museum in its current location set the scene for the proposed living dinosaurs project and it was at the gateway to Queens Park.

The museum board had taken steps to secure a short and medium-term presence of museum-related activities in the region, she said.

The museum educator would travel to Southland schools, which had been supportive, and businesses had offered support, she said.

The board would explore other ways of delivering exhibitions in the city while it worked on the museum plan.

The board had asked the city council to make the museum a priority and it was working with the Southland Regional Heritage Committee.

Biddle acknowledged that since the museum closed, the board had not waded into debates regarding the reports and advice given to the board previously.

'We believe it is inappropriate to go into public battle over claims made that the trust board acted inappropriately.

'While some have questioned professional reports and advice given to the trust board, we stand by the evidence provided to us and our decisions to put public safety first.'