northland chamber

ADVOCATE COLUMN 1st WEEK DECEMBER 2010
I would like to start by stating that in the past I have been very sceptical about whether the Whangarei District Council’s proposed Hundertwasser Museum was an appropriate development for our city. While I recognise the significant global contribution to art Friedensreich Hundertwasser has made, on a personal note my sense of aesthetic lie elsewhere. This has probably led to my opinion that perhaps there would be better uses that this site could be put to.

However it is interesting to consider the opportunities that such a development may present. You only have to travel to Kawakawa to realise there is a demand for attractions associated with this artist and the commercial spin-offs they can create. So what would such an attraction mean for Whangarei? For a start it would provide a reason for northbound travellers to visit, stay and spend in Whangarei. It may increase the nights tourists spend in Whangarei and provide a real point of difference when marketing Northland against other similar coastal destinations.

Whatever the attraction ends up being, Whangarei still needs a point of arrival that will direct or divert northbound traffic into the commercial business district and to these draw cards. At present this is the I-Site at Tawera Park which I believe is in the right location. With future changes to State Highway One this point of entry to Whangarei will become more critical as by-passing the city will become easier for the traveller. Thought and resources need to be committed to making this important gateway stronger, more visible and the route to our CBD more legible.

There is no doubt that within an integrated vision for Whangarei a world-class attraction is required. The supporters of the Hundertwasser project do have some work to do if they wish to garner support from the wider community. There is the issue regarding the apparent lack of consultation and transparency of this project in the past, but this in itself (like personal aesthetic) should not a reason for not supporting it.

The suitability of Hundertwasser Museum should be subject to a rigorous independent cost benefit analysis which could be used to inform the public of why this project is or is not essential to Whangarei’s future economic well-being. If the benefit of this or any other project can be substantiated, then we should set aside our personal aesthetics and support any initiative that will contribute to the region’s growth.