The proposed Maruawai Centre in Gore’s Heritage Precinct.
Costs for Gore’s new moonshine museum and Maruawai Centre have soared by nearly 40%, and just under $2m needs to be raised to complete the project.
The council’s pre-election report says project cost increases for the Hokonui Moonshine Museum and Maruawai Centre redevelopment were close to 40%, and it was now expected to cost $4.9m.
The report says the two stage project’s initial budgets of $1.4m (the Moonshine Museum) and $1.8m (the Maruawai Centre) became obsolete in the shadow of protracted community lock downs and significant escalations in the cost of building services, materials and processes to address potential earthquake, fire rating and snow loading issues with the host buildings.
Arts and Heritage Curator Jim Geddes said much of the 40% increase for stage one had been addressed by additional grants, fundraising, gifts-in-kind, and staff members undertaking aspects of the display work themselves.
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At this point there is about 10% of the new project cost ($1,997,403 – up from $1,479,000) still to raise, he said.
The museum’s moonshine distillery opened in November 2021.
“The moonshine museum’s off-licence is operational, and the function and distillery areas are hosting visitors, tours, gatherings and concerts,’’ Geddes said
Kavinda Herath / Stuff
Author Bill Stuart, designer Steve Nally and Hokonui Moonshine Museum Trust chairman John Falconer with the new moonshine still, which was unveiled on Tuesday night.
“The museum is awaiting imported electrical components for both the distillery and catering areas, so there has been limited on-site production.’’
Stage Two costs have risen from $1,838,000 to $3,013,338 (these are Quantity Surveyor estimates from 2019 and 2022).
The tendering process in August will reveal the actual cost, Geddes said.
The council’s arts and heritage department staff will be working with various public funders – including three government agencies and two public sector funding agencies – to address the shortfall.
Some fit-out work will be undertaken by staff members and general fundraising will also be initiated, and project underwriting options will also be explored.
Supplied
The Gore District Council plans to brew its own moonshine at a revamped museum in Gore.
The project received a $1.7 million Government grant from the Provincial Growth Fund in 2019.
The council is also redeveloping the James Cumming Wing into a library and community space at a cost of $7.7m, and expects construction and commissioning of a $6.3 million membrane treatment plant in East Gore to be finished in early July.
The plant has been designed to treat 100% of Gore’s drinking water in line with the New Zealand Drinking Water Standards. However, to allow all of Gore’s water to be treated in East Gore, two new pipelines need to be installed across the Mataura River, the report says.
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