Invercargill city councillors and community leaders took part in a ceremony at the Queens Park site to mark the start of construction of the region’s new museum.
"It’s exciting. For the community it’s nice to have these moments to step back and reflect on the progress that’s been made to date."
More importantly, Mr Dermody said, there was "real energy and excitement that’s out there around this project and how much it’s going to deliver for our community - not only Invercargill but also the wider Southland community".
The council is putting in close to $77 million of the expected $87m cost. The museum is expected to open early in 2026.
Mr Dermody said despite challenges, the project was on track.
"Obviously, we’ve got to work through things like the weather and bits and pieces and that’s been pretty challenging for everyone.
"We are no different from that, but we’re still on track. However, we haven’t got much margin so we’re hoping everything goes well."
