Museum project update coming soon
Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Findings from additional assessments, funding discussions and project options will be outlined in an update detailing progress on the strengthening and redevelopment of Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa in early July.
“This is an extremely complex project,” executive sponsor of
the project, Gina Rangi, who is Rotorua Lakes Council’s DCE Te Arawa
Partnerships, says.
In April 2021 the council announced to the community that as
the project design reached the most complex atrium area, the challenge of
strengthening a heritage building sited on geothermal ground resulted in
buildability and risk questions. It was considered prudent to undergo
additional investigations to assess alternatives and bring in additional expert
advice.
Following new information regarding the quantity surveyestimate (which was received in March 2022) an update was given to elected members in April this year, outlining the situation at that time, including new information on NBS (New Building Standard) ratings, funding challenges, and
options for the project.
The update to elected members in April was dealt with in confidential due to the commercial nature of some of the information that needed to be reported and because discussions needed to be held with major external funders, who are providing 70 per cent of current funding for the project.
Additional talks with funders were required following this meeting and things have progressed since then.
A public update is scheduled for next month’s Rotorua Lakes Council Operations & Monitoring Committee meeting when we expect to have further detail.
“We know this project is of huge local and national interest given the history and heritage value of the Bath House and it will be a community conversation that will be highlighted in the pre-election report due out in August.”
In June 2018 Rotorua Lakes Council committed $15.5m as part of the 2018-28 Long-term Plan.
Major external funding partners include: Lottery Grants Board: $6m, Provincial Growth Fund: $17m, Rotorua Trust (RECT): $10m and Manatū Taonga (Ministry of Culture and Heritage): $5m.
