Canty Museum asked to consider charging fee

Press, 13 April 1988, Page 9

Canty Museum asked to consider charging fee

I ’ ! j ,i ' . i' • | ||j * ''' .; H I , | ■ ;. ■ i" I The Canterbury Museum is being asked to consider charging some of its visitors an entrance

The Waimairi District Council has suggested that the (museum could charge all {visitors from outside the ' Canterbury United Council boundary and tourists. • I ,

All ratepayers within the United Council area would be issued with free family; passes;( as would schools, universities and other appropriate sectors of the community. The council's representative on the Museum Trust Board, Cr Patrick Harrow, . prepared a report on museum funding after concern by some councillors about an 11.82 per cent increase in the musuem’s levy . from , local authorities.

iCr Harrow told - the council’s finance and policy committee last evening that he considered l it irresponsible for ad hoc authorities such as the museum to increase its budget by more than the inflation rate, unless this led to increased

. revenue. ( | Cr Harrow said tha an entrance fee ( for spme visitors would guarantee a considerable income. "I feel that (by' issuing free passes more} people in Canterbury would actually visit the nruseum and not take it forj granted.” Cr Harrow : said ' the museum :could i chhrgei for departmental I services such as genealogical searches and some exhibitions. I || l: Travelling i exhibitions for which entry fees were charged could also <be set up within the' museum.

Several councillors congratulated Cr, Harrow; on his report, arid were particularly supportive of| the family pass’ idea.; ( However, Cr Arthur Adcock was concerned (that people in the wider Canterbury area would (still fall victim to, u'serpays. | I (' “I would hate do think that people did not go to the musuemi because (they

I could | not afford it,” he I said. The council decided to forward the report to the Museum Trust Board with a request that it.be fully considered with particular reference to the family passes, touring exhibitions, and the user-pays philosophy. Sculpture Councillors spent more than half an hour considering the purchase of a work from the South Island Stone Symposium which was held recently at Spencer Park. Cr Barbara Stewart said she thought it was an "ideal and exciting time,” for the council to consider buying one or two of the sculptures to enhance its parks, squares or malls.: “The dimension of sculpture in these areas is sadly lacking in our country as a whole, and in this city and in our district council.” -The chairman of the

finance and policy comniittee, Mr (John Hanafin, questioned ; whether the sculpture were "works of art.”; ( Other councillors were concerned ' where they would be sited, and about possible vandalism. ( The committee decided to approve in principle the purchase of two works from the symposium, subject to further dicussions on funding, and siting. I It has been suggested that one of the items be purchased in conjunction witli the Technology Park Board.

Historic cottage I Repairs totalling 514,700 will be made to the Kapuatohe (Historic Reserve Cottage, ! on the Main North Road. The Kapuatohe Management Committee originally estimated that the work necessary to bring the cottage to a standard that would make it suitable for long-term

letting would cost about ($lO,OOO. I I However, when it was discovered that the work would cost more, a member of the committee who is a retired | builder, Mr Lou McFadden, offered to do it on ia| labour-only contract. The finance and policy ’Committee decided to ’ take up the offer, with the total renovation cost of $14,700 made available by way : of an interest free loan from the Belfast Riding Development Reserve Account. '

The cottage was bought to New Zealand as a kitset about 1870, and assembled on the site. Some councillors felt that because it was one of the few remaining historic buildings left in the Waimairi District, funding should be a council responsibility. i It was decided to form a sub-committee to investigate the financing of historic buildings.