Newspaper Article 2011 – $18m museum revamp to start in July

$18m museum revamp to start in July

By Doug Laing
[email protected]

Work on the $18 million redevelopment of the Hawke’s Bay Museum and Art Gallery site is expected to start next month.

The start has been confirmed with an announcement yesterday by Napier City Council that Hawke’s Bay company Gemco Construction had been awarded the contract to head the project.

Mayor Barbara Arnott said it was a major milestone in the development of the site, a Marine Parade feature also bounded by Tennyson, Herschell and Browning streets.

The redevelopment will begin with the removal of the old council chambers from the corner of Marine Parade and Tennyson St to a temporary site off Byron St, and demolition of the old Lilliput building on the Parade.

A contemporary wing forming the new entrance to the HBMAG complex will be built fronting Tennyson St, from Herschell St to Marine Parade, and housing six exhibition galleries over three levels, an education suite and a large foyer, shop and reception area.

The new building will connect through ground level exhibition galleries to the Century Theatre and the 1930s Louis Hay-designed wing. The original entrance to that building will be reinstated and it will house the Hawke’s Bay Regional Archive and the Bestall Gallery.

The Century Theatre, designed by Guy Natusch in 1977, will be retained, and a cafe will be a new feature of the building.

Mrs Arnott said it was hoped the complex would be completed and operational in January- February 2013.

“I am thrilled that the opportunity to build an iconic home for the treasures of Hawke’s Bay has gone to a proven local business,” she said.

Tenders were evaluated using a system that enables tenderers to compete on price and quality, ensuring construction is to a high level of finish and that Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust collection and objects are displayed in line with museum standards.

Gemco, based in Havelock North, with more than 85 staff, has been involved in several major projects in the Napier-Hastings area in recent years, including the EIT Trades Centre (2011) and Hawke’s Bay Sportspark Grandstand (2010).

Museums approach council over upgrades

By Caitlin Nobes
[email protected]

Regional museums are asking for help improving facilities as they try to keep up with demand.

Wairoa Museum and Central Hawke’s Bay Settlers Museum have each approached the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for funding to complete projects.

Wairoa Museum curator Jim Samson said the facility’s collection of 1600 photographs needed to be catalogued, along with their provenance and history.

“By documenting our photographic collection we are bringing history alive for people throughout the region and beyond,” Mr Samson said.

He was requesting $10,000 from the council toward the $25,000 cost of employing a cataloguer for eight months.

The museum had 366 requests to see images from their collection last year, from all around the region.

Central Hawke’s Bay Settlers Museum, based in Waipawa, requested $4532 from the council to purchase a purpose-built cabinet for the museum’s Maori taonga.

“We would like to make it more secure and more visible to our visitors,” curator Jana Uhlirova said. “The museum has big potential and a great location.”

One item had been valued at $13,000 and with more than 30 items in the collection the museum did not have the security to display the more valuable items.

She also wanted to be able to display the Maori collection together to tell a cohesive story.

“We would like to offer people a place they can see and connect with the Maori history in the district.”

Both museums had more than 5000 visitors a year, including international tourists. Councillors would deliberate on the submissions this week and confirm decisions at a council meeting on June 29.

Photo caption – GO-AHEAD:A scale model of the new Hawke’s Bay Museum and Arty [Art] Gallery entrance on Tennyson St.   PHOTO/FILE