Invercargill City Council may pause a $10 million storage project in hopes of fast-tracking the construction of a new Southland museum and art gallery.
During a public-excluded finance committee meeting this week, the council discussed an item labelled "pause/cancellation of contract" of the Tisbury storage building.
When council adopted its annual plan in July, it was decided it would invest $39.4 million to redevelop the region’s museum and art gallery, as well as spend $10 million to build a new storage facility on council-owned land in Tisbury.
However, Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark said yesterday the new council had discussed the matter and was intending to pause the project until the end of November, with the aim to construct the museum in three years.
The recommendation would be put to councillors on Tuesday during an infrastructure committee meeting, he said.
"We intend to pause the project until the end of the month so [we] can have more information and options on how we can build a new museum within three years — that is our main goal.
"We will make a final decision on the matter at the council meeting at the end of the month, where we will decide if we will cancel the construction of the new storage facility, pause in a long term or if we will give the green light and continue to construct it."
The design of the storage building had been completed but construction had not started.
It was planned to start this month.
When asked if council would be required to pay a fine for pausing the project, he said he was not sure, but it had been advised that a "short pause would possibly be OK".
"It may be open for additional costs, but if we do nothing and decide to cancel or pause in a later stage, we would incur even more costs.
"I dont’t expect there is much to be worry about in that area — I think to not pause it would put us in a greater risk."
He said council would analyse all the costs and consequences of both projects and would make a final decision on November 29.
"Nothing is set in stone but it would be fair to say we would like to build both.
"But we need to wait for advice we get from staff on the main museum because this is our primary goal — to build it in three years."
