Putaruru’s timber museum could soon be open again thanks to some friends of the museum. Source: Stuff Co NZ
The museum shut its doors in October surrounded by controversy, citing loss of funding from sources including the South Waikato District Council. However, the council had already sunk NZ$1.2 million into the museum since 2003, including NZ$600,000 for a proposed upgrade.
Chairman of the Timber Museum of New Zealand Trust, Tony Jacques said they were in the process of forming a Friends of the Museum Society to recruit volunteers.
With more hands on deck the trust plans to open the museum during weekends.
Mayor Neil Sinclair said the project for a heritage park had significant merit and funds were granted on that basis.
“The trust had hoped to use council’s funding as leverage to get more funding like the Waikato River Trails Trust did however, due to the general climate around museum funding this did not happen,” said Mayor Sinclair.
“The trust members put in many hours . . . but finance dried up and . . . health and safety issues came to light.”
Jacques said the district council had committed several years ago to longer-term funding for the museum on the basis it would be a 20-year project.
The global financial crisis had made other fund-raising harder, but the timber industry and other organisations had contributed substantial support in materials, equipment and labour.
“We are concerned that the continuing industry and community support could have been lost for the future as a result of the council’s plan to cut short the agreed public funding arrangements,” he said. “So we have decided to press on.”
