Livingston Construction, awarded the contract to build the new Raglan Museum were to have started the project on the 8th September 2010 and to have had it completed by 4th May 2011. But a recent news items in the Raglan Chronicle revealed that the start of the project had been held up because of resource consent issues. Richard Bax, General Manager Water & Facilities for the Waikato District Council, told the Raglan Website, “The Resource Consent issues are resolved in principle – we are just waiting on the paperwork now. We are meeting with the contractor on Monday to plan the works.”
As we reported a few weeks ago, the old Raglan Museum has been cleared of artifacts in readiness for demolition of the building, it looks as if work may soon start on the new building. The long construction period and the late start does mean that Raglan will be without a museum over the busy summer period. It is understood that the Raglan Information Centre which will be also housed in the new building will remain at its present location behind the superette in Wainui Road until the new building is finished. If the month late start is added onto the finish date then the likely finish date will be June 2011.
At the meeting of the Waikto District Council held on 28th September, the following discussion about the museum project took place:
WDC1009/05/2/5 Tender Evaluation – Raglan Museum and Information Centre
– Contract No 09/061, File GOV1301 Agenda Item 5.2.4
Resolved: (Crs Baddeley/Smith)
THAT the report of the General Manager Water and Facilities – Tender Evaluation – Raglan Museum and Information Centre – Contract No. 09/061 – dated 10 September 2010 be received;
AND THAT any deficit up to $114,105 be funded from the previous year’s contingency fund.
CARRIED on the voices.
The total cost for the Museum building is $1.3 million mainly funded by community funders. Sale of road reserves has funded the cost of designing the building, other preparatory work and obtaining the resource consent. $59,336 will come from general rate income, leaving a deficit of $116,237 if the project comes in at its higher estimate. It is this possible deficit which will be funded from the WDC contingency fund.