After many years of planning and fundraising, the $6.5 million redevelopment of Waikanae's Mahara Gallery is expected to get under way later this year.
Kāpiti Coast District Council, at a meeting on Thursday, rubber stamped its agreement with the Mahara Gallery Trust, to pay one-third of project cost, which was$2.1m.
Council has also underwritten the trust's final fundraising figure of $669,000 which the trust will pay back over time.
The trust, which has to fundraise two-thirds of the project cost, had already raised $1.5m, and had secured funding from the Government's Regional Cultural and Heritage Fund of $1.7m and contingency of $432,000.
Waikanae Community Board had also pledged $254,000 to the trust.
Councillor Rob McCann wanted to know what assurances were in place to pay back the underwrite.
Trust chairman Gordon Shroff said the trust's fundraising record to date had been effective.
"We've pulled every lever and worked every angle but for the balance we've taken professional advice which is when we've got assurance for over 90 per cent of the funding it becomes much easier to target specific individuals and organisations.
"We're pretty confident on the strength of a fundraising strategy, which we're still finalising, that we can raise the sort of money.
Mahara Gallery. Photo / David Haxton
"There's certainly no doubt whatsoever of the commitment to continue that process.
"The trust has recently submitted an application to the Lottery Significant Projects Fund for a third of that shortfall, and we will continue to search for other potential funding sources to help bridge the gap.
"The trust will launch a community fundraising programme soon to seek the support of Kāpiti people and businesses."
He was hopeful that key members of the Kāpiti community would recognise the power that their own contributions will have.
"Reducing the gap further will help to strengthen our funding applications."
The project would also "help a lot of businesses and employ local people".
"We are hopeful that by the end of next year, we will have a district gallery that meets accepted museum and gallery standards and houses an art collection of national significance."
The redevelopment project will mean the Field Collection of artworks, including many artworks from Frances Hodgkins, can go on display.
It will also double the number of exhibition galleries and almost treble the exhibition space.
Field Collection Trust spokeswoman Kay Brown said the council commitment provided a sense of relief that the future of the collection can be assured.
"As trustees, we have said for many years the collection's future must be settled in our lifetime.
"We are grateful for the immense amount of work done by members of the trust board to get us to where we are today."
Mayor K Gurunathan was delighted the gallery would be "upgraded to an accepted museum standard and become a permanent home to the Field Collection".
"And I am pleased the Government also recognises the importance of this facility and its collection to the Kāpiti community.
"The Field Collection, which includes 24 paintings by Frances Hodgkins and family documents, is a significant asset for Waikanae and the whole Kāpiti district.
"Frances Hodgkins referred to Waikanae as her 'ancestral home' and her ashes are interred in a family plot in the local cemetery.
"So it's only fitting that Waikanae is home to some of her significant early works."
Waikanae ward councillor Jocelyn Prvanov thanked everyone who had been involved in "this really long journey".
"It has been through a number of quite major iterations and I'm really pleased it has got this far and I wish the project all the best in terms of actually getting it open."
Councillor Janet Holborow added, "There has been so many people involved over so many years and it's just wonderful to get to this point today."
The redevelopment project will be managed by council and more information about next steps and the construction timeline will be available soon.
