Fire museum seeks shifting money | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

THE distance from Chapel Street to Dixon Street is only a few hundred metres as the crow flies but it's proving to be a long haul for the cash-strapped Jubilee Fire Museum.

Shifting the under-utilised fire house museum from its forlorn location at the northern end of Chapel Street to the new, upbeat arts precinct opposite Queen Elizabeth Park was supposed to cost around $49,000 but this has ballooned to over $70,000 at the latest count.

Both the fire house and its star attraction ? the old Jubilee fire engine ? are owned by Masterton District Council but the museum is run by the Jubilee Society.

The society has now been forced to approach the council seeking a grant, bridging finance or underwriting to help it make the shift, and survive.

Its request will be put to a meeting of the council's policy and finance committee tonight and society members are expected to speak during public forum.

In a report to the committee community services manager Jan Gerritsen is recommending that the council considers funding the relocation to a maximum of $28,000.

This could be through a combination of grants, bridging finance and underwriting.

As part of the development of the arts precinct in Dixon Street it was decided to move the Jubilee Fire Museum to a new site next to Aratoi and Shear Discovery New Zealand.

In its isolated spot in Chapel Street, the museum attracted very little foot traffic and is only open for a few hours on weekends or by special request.

Subsequently the museum lays claim to only 800 visitors a year.

The move to Dixon Street would mean it would be open more often and it is anticipated that visitor numbers would greatly increase.

Shear History is expecting 10,000 visitors a year.

The shift is not simply a matter of picking up the building and plonking it down on a new site.

There will need to be a new concrete base, electrical and plumbing work and the height of the doors will have to be altered to enable the old fire engine to be taken out for displays and parades.

In an effort to trim back extra costs the society has already agreed to drop plans to enclose verandahs, thereby saving over $8000.

A further savings idea ? not concreting porch areas and substituting bark gardens ? was not supported by museum staff for maintenance reasons.

Mrs Gerritsen said there is no money now budgeted by the council for shifting the museum but the council would pick up a $9000 savings by closing the public toilets located at the Chapel Street site.