The unveiling of the sculptures of Hairy Maclary and his storybook pals on Tauranga's downtown waterfront may miss the 30th birthday celebrations of the first book to feature the loveable pooch.
Creative Tauranga chief executive Tracey Rudduck-Gudsell told councillors yesterday they were about halfway to raising the $850,000 needed for the project.
Although the artist had reached the last sculpture, Ms Rudduck-Gudsell was unsure if they would be in the ground in time for Hairy Maclary's birthday in July.
Enough money had been raised to pay the sculptor but not enough to fund the installation of the characters on the waterfront. Hairy Maclary was the creation of Tauranga author Dame Lynley Dodd.
Additional costs included developing the waterfront site, landscaping and a $150,000 bond to fund future maintenance. However, Ms Rudduck-Gudsell assured the council she was working "hammer and tongs" to raise the money needed for the installation, including a trip to Auckland to talk to a potential donor.
She also announced that Creative Tauranga was making changes to its gallery in Willow St so it could stage two exhibitions at the same time at a lower cost to the artists.
The gallery was booked through to 2015.