Napier council looks at how to keep 'gem' Faraday Centre in the city

Thumbs-up for the Faraday Centre from 8-year-old Jael Collins, pictured at the technology museum on Thursday with Jerome Warbrick and Nadia Edmonds, all from from Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor

Napier City Council has given a first tick to the retention of what members consider one of the city's hidden secrets – possibly the most unique attraction of its kind in New Zealand.

It came today

in a decision to receive the Business Case and Summary on Hawke's Bay Museum of Technology the Faraday Centre, which is being put in council hands after decades of volunteer passion and toil, led by late former mayor David Prebensen and his family.

The decision at a meeting of the full-council Napier People and Places Committee enabled the council to put the business plan out to the public later in the day via the modern-day technology of the website.

The future of the facilities and collection are part of the council's Long Term Plan 2021-2031 Consultation document, and the matter is expected to go before the full council for decisions after the LTP is completed.

Public submissions on the Long Term Plan close on May 12, hearings will take place from June 10-12 and adoption of the plan is expected on June 30.

The centre is open to the public from 9am-3pm, almost daily during the school holidays and Mondays, Wednesdays, Friday and Saturdays otherwise, but needs structural strengthening to be available for school visits.

Cr Nigel Simpson said one thing the reports had shown the council was how unique the centre is in New Zealand. "So, it is a gem," he said.

Cr Keith Price said it's an important facility for Napier and he hoped people would take more time to learn about it.