Work is progressing well in Rotorua's bid to secure Government funds needed to reinforce and restore Rotorua Museum.

In a statement which more or less coincided with the closing day of TRENZ today (Thursday May 16), Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick confirmed she is involved in top level talks to secure final funding.

The museum has been closed since 2016 when a severe earthquake centred at Kaikoura shook the infrastructure of it and the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre which has also been closed to the public.

Steve has been in talks with senior Ministers of the Crown to try to extract funding to stabilise the museum which has been fenced off since it was ruled at risk.

Talks with Wellington were encouraging.

'I am working closely with senior ministers and am heartened by the discussions we've had to date to secure Government funding for our museum,” the mayor says in a statement.

'Government MPs will also need to support us as we work through what level of support the Government can provide.”

Between $45million and $50m is estimated to complete the restructure. So far, the Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) has committed $15m, with $10m promised by the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust. While not making a financial commitment, the Museum Centennial Trust is ready to commit to assist if needed, though what the commitment entails is not known.

On the face it, the council still needs to gouge between $20m and $30m – possibly the sum under discussion between the council and central Government.

To have reached the point where Chadwick says she is 'heartened by the discussions” indicates an impasse has been broken and a favourable decision is imminent.

The RLC and its supporters have been pushing for Government assistance since the Heritage 1 status museum was forced to close.

'It is Rotorua's priority,” Chadwick says. 'Central Government, of course, is very busy dealing with many priorities but we are fighting for our museum…”

Mayor Steve Chadwick.

The Bath House was the NZ government's first major investment in the tourism industry, seen as a way to make Rotorua a famous spa destination.

'Rotorua continues to play a major role in tourism in New Zealand and our museum is a big part of that,” Mayor Chadwick says.

'The museum means a lot to our community and getting it re-opened remains a top priority for myself and this council.

Damage was found in the Bath House portion of the building following the Kaikoura earthquake.

The building failed new building standards and was considered earthquake prone and a risk to public safety.

Chadwick hopes that once the council secures funding it requires work can start later this year.

'It is a complicated process getting the level of funding we require but I am working with senior ministers and the aim is to get the funding lined up so that we can start work on the building later this year, as planned.” Mayor Chadwick says.

Design work for the project is nearing completion and 'enabling works” (work that needs to be done to prepare the site for construction) could start as early as July this year.”

'I have been just as impatient to see work starting on our museum's restoration as the rest of the community,” Mayor Chadwick says.

Assessments, planning and design work were needed before work could start. It was particularly complex.

'We are talking about a historic building with Heritage 1 status and every step towards reopening needs to be taken with great care and planning,” Chadwick said.

The necessary groundwork, which started after the museum was closed, took time.

'Most of it has now been done and we will be ready to go once we have finalised the level of support from Central Government.”