Time to fight for historic gallery

It's funny how people throw large numbers around like they are commonplace and readily conceivable. The deficit, council debt, all manner of things are assigned values and it is hard to comprehend the reality of what it means.

Take, for instance, the proposal to earthquake-proof and extend the city's Sarjeant Gallery. At $19 million it's hard to get a handle on what that means.

But along with the cost of the project to bring the Sarjeant to a state where it is no longer a hazard and its artworks are in an environment that is not to the detriment of their condition, we must also factor in the value the facility holds to us as a community.

That is impossible to define but there can be no doubt that it is well above the cost of the refurbishment proposed. Take the modern-day equivalent of the gift by Henry Sarjeant that enabled this facility to be built. The £35,000 bequeathed in today's terms would equate to $26 million.

That doesn't allow for the value of artworks contained within the gallery, works deteriorating because the environmental conditions in the building are not ideal for storage or even display of the many great works held there.

So, what to do? The proposal is too costly, many would argue. But to do nothing is not an option we can countenance.

There is the possibility of gaining funding from the Government. We must do all in our power to secure this, as without it the Sarjeant is a lost cause; one that as much as we may desire to, as a small, financially strapped community we will not be able to save.

To do nothing would be an abject failure to all that Henry Sarjeant held dear and to all those who have allowed the gallery to take guardianship over our cultural history.

If we do nothing, we must shut the doors for we cannot allow people into an unsafe building. The artworks will either go elsewhere or disintegrate. We will be left with nothing more than a monument to our inability to come together and fight for our heritage. We would be as well to give up and run a bulldozer through this magnificent structure now.

The bid being put together must be delivered in mid-April and a decision made around government funding in August. The people behind it are enthusiastic and confident the remaining $10.5 million can be found without overburdening ratepayers.

As this process is undertaken the Chronicle will document progress with a series of articles, looking at the issue, how it arose, who are the main players and the costs. They will be branded with a logo, Saving the Sarjeant, to help you find them. The first article appears today, ahead of the 100th anniversary of Henry Sarjeant's death tomorrow.

Aside from our stories, we are also keen to know what you think.

One of the critical elements of the proposal's success will be the level of community support.

It's up to you, Wanganui; if you want to retain this gallery and category 1 heritage building, show your support. To have your say email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz and please include some contact details. Comments may be published.