A Project Advisory Group consisting of Central Otago District Council staff and two Cromwell Community Board members has been formed to guide planning of the town’s new lakeside Culture Centre but community members may be asked to join a separate ‘external stakeholder group’. 

In early June the CODC approved $31.5M for the new facility and a new museum, to be built at the site of the existing Cromwell Memorial Hall.  

A clear message to ‘get on with it’ was given by submitters during the council’s Long-Term Plan public consultation process and yesterday the Board reviewed a plan that would see construction begin in July next year.

Cromwell Cultural Centre’s project timeline. 

The council’s property and facilities manager, Garreth Robinson, outlined a recommended design phase involving an optional external stakeholder group.

In his report he says if a stakeholder group was desired it should be comprised of a cross-section of the community and industry selected through an ‘expression of interest’ process.

The Board resolved not to make the decision on whether an external group would be formed during its monthly meeting yesterday, but to leave that decision for the new Project Advisory Group to review and recommend back to the board.

Cromwell Community Board chairperson Anna Harrison. 

Cr Nigel McKinlay and Community Board chairperson Anna Harrison were appointed to the Project Advisory Group to join Mr Robinson and council executive manager, planning and environment, Lousie van de Voort.

The newest member of the Community Board, Bob Scott, who was sworn in yesterday, asked where the Cromwell Cultural Centre Trust could fit into the project structure.  

Chairperson Anna Harrison says the external stakeholders group, if created, would provide a way for the Trust, or members of it, as well as groups like the Cromwell Town and Country Club, to contribute to the process.

Mr Robinson described the year-long design phase time-frame as “ambitious”.  

Councillor Nigel McKinlay.

Next steps involved the appointment of an architect, scoping the project and developing detailed concept plans. 

These plans would then be reviewed and adopted by the Community Board.

The existing hall which was built by the community in 1960 will be demolished to make way for the new 2000sqm facility.  

Debate over how to replace it has been ongoing in Cromwell for two decades.

*This report was compiled as part of Connect Cromwell's Public Interest Journalism project.