20 August 2012
Minister approves lease of Kelvin Park to C Company Trust
The Minister of Local Government David Carter has agreed that Kelvin Park can be leased by Nga Taonga o Nga Tama Toa
Trust to build a permanent exhibition space for C Company Memorabilia.
After considering submissions Gisborne District Council agreed to lease Kelvin Park to the trust subject to the
minister’s approval in May.
Kelvin Park was gifted to the Council in the 1950’s by Winifred Lysnar. Ms Lysnar gifted the top terrace area, where the
existing Museum and Lysnar House currently sit, specifically for a museum and art gallery.
However, the gifting deed relating to the rest of the Kelvin Park did not allow for buildings to be erected south and
east of the main Museum terrace - where the Nga Taonga o Nga Tama Toa Trust gallery would be built.
Council could not grant a lease against the gifting deed without the minister’s approval.
In a letter received last week Mr Carter said that he had weighed up the wishes of the donor as expressed in the
documents endowing the land to the Council with the wishes of the wider community. “While the proposed use of the land
is not wholly consistent with the endowment, I am satisfied that only a small portion of the endowed land subject to
constraints will be used and the purpose behind its use will be in keeping with the overall intent of the endowment.”
Kelvin Park is zoned Amenity Reserve and therefore the gallery also needed a resource consent to build in the area. The
resource consent was publically notified in May this year and granted in June after hearings were held in front of the
independent commissioner Ian Buchanan.
Mr Carter also believes that any adverse impacts from the original proposal have been addressed through the resource
consent process. His approval is only for the memorial gallery. “My approval does not extend to a different or
additional purpose being applied across the whole of the property.”
Mr Carter’s staff will liaise with Council when drawing up the deed of approval to ensure this intent is met. When this
has been finalised the minister will give his formal approval to grant the lease.
ENDS