Rotorua Museum Restoration Secures Extra Funding, Construction Set To Start

Thursday, 20 June 2024, 5:19 pm
Article: Laura Smith - Local Democracy Reporter

June 19

There are signs of activity at Rotorua’s long-closed museum as construction on the iconic building begins this month – and an extra funding source is secured.

Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa closed due to earthquake risk in 2016 and Rotorua Lakes Council expects it will cost $73.55m to fully restore it.

The council, which is co-funding the project with several other contributors, announced in April it had secured the final funding needed and awarded the construction contract to Watts & Hughes – the company that managed the museum’s south wing extension completed in 2011.

A section of Oruawhata Drive in the inner-city Government Gardens has now been closed.

New Zealand Community Trust today awarded the council a $400,000 grant, to be spread over four years to aid in the strengthening, restoration, and redevelopment of the museum.

In a statement, Mayor Tania Tapsell said there was strong support from the community to have the “well-loved” building re-opened and the funding was another step towards that happening.

The council’s arts, culture and mahi toi manager, Stewart Brown, said the museum used to attract about 100,000 to 120,000 visitors each year.

“The restoration project promises significant economic benefits, including job creation and increased investment.

“The museum’s reopening will bolster Rotorua’s identity as a world-class tourism destination and a vital cultural hub. The museum houses a nationally significant collection of over 55,000 objects, including social history artifacts, art, photography, and more than 2000 taonga Māori.”

Restoring the museum was initially expected to cost $53.85m but cost estimates grew.

Elected members and the public were last year presented with several options; fully restore and reopen the museum as planned, stretch the project out in stages; or move the museum and find an alternative use for the Bath House building – which is more than a century old and has a category 1 heritage building rating.

Councillors voted to fully restore the building and aimed to keep the council’s share of funding within the $15.5m it budgeted for the project.

Central government in April agreed to add an extra $5m to its $17m contribution, meaning the build was entirely funded and the council would not need to put more ratepayer money into it.

Fundraising would continue for the exhibition work.

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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