Hairy Maclary and his eight bronze friends are not likely to appear on Tauranga's new-look waterfront before Easter, with the final $300,000 for the project still to be raised.
In September, the Bay of Plenty Times reported the statues could be in place near the children's playground by Christmas, but raising the funds has proven tougher than expected.
Creative Tauranga chief executive Tracey Rudduck-Gudsell said "not many" local businesses had contributed and fundraising for the $700,000 project been hampered by the financial climate and Canterbury quakes over the past three years. "It's been very hard in Tauranga."
In September, Tauranga City Council waived the $150,000 maintenance bond for the statues, which had brought the total to $850,000, but three months on they remain in storage in Wellington until the underwriter for the project is paid in full.
Ms Rudduck-Gudsell yesterday appealed to local businesses and funding organisations, including those who had been previously approached, to help push the project to completion.