An $8 million redevelopment plan for the North Otago Museum and Oamaru Library has been unveiled at the Waitaki District Council, but is still a long way from being approved.
The plan involves adding buildings and redeveloping the museum and library buildings, creating a new exhibition gallery to display the Willetts' Collection of Waitaha artefacts, more and better controlled space for the archives and greater space for both operations.
Yesterday, architectural consultancy firm MAP Ltd, which had been commissioned to produce the redevelopment plan, outlined its visions for the redevelopment.
It received a mixed reaction from councillors, who have decided to conduct a workshop to discuss the way forward relating to the issues raised.
MAP director Kerry Mason said the aim of the project was to rationalise and improve what already existed.
The plan proposes turning the library into a two-storeyed structure fronting Thames St by creating a narrow gallery across its facade to house the Willetts collection.
One entrance between the two buildings would provide access to both the library and museum.
Other construction included making the existing North Otago Archives building fronting Stewart St two storeys and creating a three-storeyed building behind the existing library across the car park.
The new three-storeyed building would be the same height as the existing museum building. That would cost $5.665 million (excluding GST, based on March, 2010, pricing) and about another $3 million to outfit.
Both Mr Mason and fellow director Huia Reriti described the existing Oamaru stone museum and athenaeum building as "a beautiful piece of Oamaru architecture" which should stay "as it is".
They were amazed by the Willetts Collection, virtually all in storage rather than on display, calling it a "treasure" that needed "a jewel box showcase".
They described the library building as typical 1970s architecture, and it was its facade they proposed for major changes, including a ground floor glass frontage topped by an Oamaru stone facade to create the second storey gallery for the Willetts Collection.
Cr Helen Stead said she was "somewhat gobsmacked" at the project design but added she was delighted about the extra space for the archives and the Willetts Collection.
But she remained unconvinced about the design.
When Cr Jim Hopkins asked whether any other architects had been asked to pitch for the project, museum director Rowan Carrol said no other firms had been asked.
Mr Mason said that to create a new neo-classical facade for the library to mirror that of the museum, and do it properly, would be "astronomically expensive" - it could cost about $20 million.
He did not believe the community could afford that.
