Ground broken at Forrester Gallery extension
Published on 14 March 2025
A ground-breaking ceremony at the site of the future Forrester Gallery extension took place today, following a month of prepartory work and ahead of piling beginning on Monday 17 March.
Attendees included representatives from Waitaki District Council, Te Runanga o Moeraki, Friends of the Forrester Gallery and contractors Naylor Love. They were led onto the site by a karanga, while students from Hampden School and Waitaki Girls High School sang waiata.
Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher, former Gallery Director Warwick Smith, Friends of the Forrester life member Rob Douglas and Moeraki Marae’s Joseph Tipa then broke ground following karakia from Mani Malloy-Sharplin and Ana Faau.
Mayor Gary Kircher said: “This day has been a long time coming, and it’s great to see so many people involved in the gallery in the past here – who’ve all contributed to getting us here. Looking forward to this project getting underway”
Arts, Culture & Libraries Manager Chloe Searle said: “This has taken a lot of work, by a lot of people over many years. Thanks to the Waitaki District Council, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the Friends of the Forrester Gallery, staff past and present who have contributed to this project. Thank you for your generosity, your support, and patience as we deliver this extension It’s very special to have representatives of the Runanga from Moeraki here today. We’re building a building on Thames Street in Oamaru in 2025. We have a beautiful heritage building, built in 1884 – but I doubt there was much conversation with the runanga about that. Our building needs to be a 2025 building, and this is part of that mahi”
Mani Molloy-Sharplin said: “It’s a fantastic day, beautiful that Te Runanga of Moeraki could be here to be a part of the celebration, and take part in this ground-breaking ceremony to start work on this beautiful building”
This project advancing is thanks to external funds granted to Waitaki District Council and the Friends of the Forrester Gallery from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s Regional Culture and Heritage Fund, Lottery Environment and Heritage, the John Westwood Christie Trust, the Alexander McMillan Trust, the Stout Trust, a bequest from Ivan Hunter Main and extensive community fundraising by the Friends of the Forrester Gallery.
The extension will expand the Gallery’s ability to host exhibitions, make the entire building accessible thanks to the installation of a lift, and provide storage space for parts of its extensive collection, and increasing the education space within the building.
Work on the building should be completed by February 2026, and following fitout and exhibition installation, the extension should be open by April 2026.
The Gallery will continue to operate throughout the construction work, and Gallery Staff will work with Naylor Love to minimise the impact of building work on visitors.
ENDS