Media Release

16, October 2006

Waitakere to investigate feasibility of Museum

The Waitakere City Council is to investigate the feasibility of establishing a regional museum at Corban Estate as part of an integrated re-development of that site.

The Culture, Arts and Events Special Committee has decided to look into options for creating a museum at Corban Estate, which includes a cluster of historic buildings near the centre of Henderson.

“First of all, just because we are investigating the possibility of setting up a Waitakere museum doesn’t mean we will do it,” says Culture, Arts and Events Special Committee chairman Judy Lawley.

“While a museum would be a wonderful asset, museums are highly specialised buildings, so we need to do our homework and make sure it is affordable.”

“What is for certain though,” says Councillor Lawley, “is that Waitakere’s heritage plays a vital role in fostering a sense of community and local identity and this is why we are investigating the possibility.”

External consultants for the council recently identified Corban Estate as the only council-owned site that has the realistic potential to function as a museum.

“The museum would sit within this site’s wider development which would make an enormous difference in terms of us achieving a 21st century museum that makes a big contribution to the people of Waitakere by being part of a wider creative, cultural and educational complex with close links to industry and employment,” says Councillor Lawley.

"A museum could form part of a creative quarter at Corban Estate but the type of activities, space requirements and costs still need to be carefully worked out," Cr Lawley says.

The feasibility study ties in with a proposal from Unitec to investigate the relocation of the School of Performing and Screen Arts and the School of Design to the Corban Estate Arts Quarter.

The council has also recently received some nationally significant works, for example the collection bequeathed to it by artist Peter Sauerbier, which if they are to be done justice, need to be on permanent public display.

ENDS

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