BATTLE STORIES: Ray and Pauline Bailey, of Mount Maunganui, are absorbed in the World War I displays at Classic Flyers yesterday.PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
Two local historical exhibitions are searching for permanent homes as their temporary venues expire.
Thousands of people have visited the World War I and Battle of Gate Pa (Pukehinahina) exhibitions in Tauranga.
When the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend visited the world war exhibit at Classic Flyers this week dozens of students from Mount Intermediate were there.
Chief executive Andrew Gormlie, parent of a Year 7 student, welcomed the children, teachers and parents to the exhibition entitled From Tauranga to the Trenches, which focused on the Gallipoli campaign in honour of the battle's 100-year anniversary.
Mr Gormlie invited the group to look around and gather answers to questions their teachers had provided, such as which countries made up the Allies and the Ottoman Empire; where Gallipoli was located; and how many soldiers comprised the Maori contingent.
As a bonus question, Mr Gormlie, says, "If you have really good eyes and can spot which soldier made it back to Tauranga from the war, but died before reaching his home in Matapihi, I'll give you a special prize."
Students buzz and ask him to repeat the question.
The kids scatter.
I guide a group of four (including my daughter) to tour the display and find answers.
The exhibit, housed inside four shipping containers, includes a timeline and world map showing battlefields of the 1914-18 war.
Students study explanations, trying to complete their assignment. "Where do we find the Allies and Ottoman Empire?" asks Ella. We locate the answer and our group writes it down.
We read individual soldier stories about happenings back home and experiences of family grief, and learn about peace celebrations in 1919. A touch screen display lets us tap individual soldiers' photos to learn more. Our group searches for the name of the Matapihi soldier.
Also on display are uniform pieces, knitted poppies, diary pages, an artillery shell and replicas of small linen bags (which had contained personal possessions) sent to deceased soldiers' families.
Students tell Mount Intermediate teacher Tania Clarkin they enjoyed looking at real photographs, viewing weapons, learning about people who went from "our area" plus reading letters home, "... not emails like today - letters were very descriptive and honest and passionate," says one student.
Mrs Clarkin says the exhibit provided real-life context.
"It linked beautifully with our learning intention, which is learning to understand how the past has influenced our future and to actively resolve conflict. It certainly made us all stop and think, and it created rich discussion back at school."
The exhibition's final days are this weekend from 10am to 3pm. Exhibition manager Michelle Whitmore says her team will start packing up tomorrow and the pieces will be stored.
"We will retain the 'skins' and the timber framing in the hope that the framing might be reused for this or other exhibitions. It will be with great sadness that we pack the exhibition away, albeit that we knew this was the plan from the outset.
"Classic Flyers need the hangar space for their next booking, so we simply can't extend the duration any longer."
She says about 9000 people have seen the $100,000 exhibit since it opened on April 25th. Two thousand people came on its opening day.
Over on Tauranga's Strand, the Battle of Gate Pa exhibition has been housed in a temporary space at the Tauranga Moana Maori Trust Board Hall since December.
Before that, Gate Pa Trust chairman Terry Molloy said the $200,000 display had been warehoused for six months after its initial five-week run at the Greerton Village Hall.
The exhibition showcases the April 1864 battle, which had its 150-year commemoration last year.
Mr Molloy says his group has been told they'll need to vacate the space by the weekend of May 31st. He says 12,000 to 13,000 people have seen the Gate Pa exhibit so far, drawing 60 to 100 people during its three days of operation each week.
Mr Molloy says his group maintains a temporary storage facility in warehouses opposite the Cargo Shed, and has asked Tauranga City Council for permission to renovate the warehouses as a more permanent option for the Gate Pa display.
"It could be ideal for the short to medium term - there's no parking or consent requirements, but it would be a considerable amount of work to update the buildings to make them suitable."
Mr Molloy says his group wouldn't ask the council for the $500,000 it would cost to ensure the warehouses met earthquake standards and to enlarge the display.
"It would be a much bigger space. We'd be able to grow the exhibition and carry it on into other areas.
"There are other stories of Tauranga and New Zealand that would be quite beneficial to the wider community. We could do some wonderful things with that old building."
Mr Molloy says the group has had discussions with a potential sponsor and is looking for funding from the Lotteries Foundation.
Back at the Classic Flyers World War I exhibition, students complete their questionnaires, minus the bonus question.
Our group never learned which soldier failed to reach his home in Matapihi.