Councils
Mayoral candidate Nobby Clark has found a way to have the new Southland Museum opened within three years, and at a much reduced cost.
In his new ‘Nobby Clark Show,’ it was no surprise to find out his plans to fast track the new facility were top of the list. (Watch ‘The Nobby Clark Show’ below)
When the Invercargill City Council decided to close the museum due to it being an earthquake risk back in 2018, Nobby, as co-ordinator of the Invercargill Ratepayer Advocacy Group, was totally opposed.
And in his opinion, “not a lot of progress has been made since then.”
Councillors finally decided earlier this year to commit to building a new museum, but that was still three to four years away, (realistically five to six according to Nobby), and he doesn’t think the public should wait that long.
The reason for the hold up is building the new Tisbury Storage Facility at a cost of $10.3 million.
But Nobby said there was still time to halt the physical ground works due to start in November, as it had an exit clause.
When council agreed to proceed with building a 3550 sqm museum building, it was also decided to demolish the existing iconic pyramid building, build a separate storage facility for the museum and art gallery, and find a new home for the tuatara.
But Nobby believes that storage facility is a waste of money, and thinks the collection should remain in the pyramid until the new museum is built.
“We don’t need to tip that over, and that allows next year to get on with the new museum.”
Having a new museum open within three years would save ratepayers at least $15 million, with not having to build a separate storage facility, as well as the extra ongoing increased costs of $5 million a year waiting to rebuild the new one.
Nobby said it was also important to keep ‘Henry’ and a few of his tuatara mates with the new museum, “because it’s an important drawcard,” rather than at a separate location in Queen’s Park near the other animal husbandry.
Tuatara have been on display at the museum since 1961, and in 1990 a large enclosure was built as part of the facility’s redevelopment.
“I travel all over New Zealand and the two things people want to know about Invercargill, is how is Tim and how are the tuatara’s?”
Watch Nobby Clark explain his plan for fast tracking the new museum.
More videos at The Nobby Clark Show Youtube Channel