Survey idea for museum fails

Tauranga Moana Museum Trust member Kelly Barclay at the preferred Cliff Rd site for a museum. Photo / Ruth Keber

A proposal to spend $40,000 gauging how Tauranga residents feel about the development of a museum has been defeated by the city council.

The survey was council staff's response to the trust seeking a $100,000 grant as part of a last ditch effort to keep the project alive.

Yesterday's decision not to back the survey has dashed hopes by the Tauranga Moana Museum Trust. Trustee Kelly Barclay told the Bay of Plenty Times last month he hoped the council would work with the trust on the project that had failed to gain momentum since the museum on the waterfront was axed in 2007.

The survey was to have been the vehicle by which the council could gauge community support for the museum, including whether ratepayers were prepared to shoulder a big chunk of museum operating costs.

Councillor Steve Morris questioned whether the council would be prepared to back a museum's operating costs even if the project got strong community backing. He said the council could end up doing a disservice to the museum trustees. "We need to be clear with them, thank them for their work and not string them along."

Councillor Gail McIntosh said there was no appetite for a museum among ratepayers. "People are in favour of a museum so long as they don't have to pay. We need to be honest and open about that."

Councillor Bev Edlin agreed they should not string the trustees along, even though every city needed a museum.

"We need to get people working collaboratively for this city and not a pipe dream that may never come about," she said.

Deputy Mayor Kelvin Clout said there was not a great public desire for a museum and he encouraged the trust to secure external funding for a feasibility study.

Museum trust secretary John Coster was disappointed, particularly because the proposal was made by council staff. "It will take a bit longer now."

He said that without funding to get someone to do the work, there was not a lot that volunteer trustees could do. There had been no discussions about winding up. Mr Coster said if ratepayers were asked if they wanted to fund a museum then the answer would be no. But if there was a museum then people would go to it.

In another decision yesterday, the council agreed to fund part of the $200,000 cash injection requested by the Elms Foundation to keep it running. After a debate, the council decided to grant $150,000 a year for the next 10 years.