Hairy Maclary set to come to life by year's end

Tracey Rudduck-Gudsell started the fundraiser to get Hairy Maclary on Tauranga's waterfront.

Tauranga energy organisation TECT has been announced as the benefactor offering the city's Hairy Maclary project $70K, on the condition it is completed by the end of the year.

TECT is a founding partner of the Hairy Maclary & Friends Tauranga Waterfront Sculpture Project, and added the $70,000 on top of an initial funding grant of $30,000.

However, the money will lapse if the project is not finished by the end of 2014.

TECT chairman Michael Cooney said in a statement released this morning: "We have been impressed with Creative Tauranga's vision for this project and the organisation's focus and drive to achieve a truly unique legacy for Tauranga City, the BoP and NZ generally.

"The project hasn't proceeded at the pace originally envisioned but recent funding announcements have encouraged us and we hope that in turn, by raising our total contribution to $100,000, we can inspire others to get in and contribute the final funds needed to install this fantastic public art work on our waterfront."

Creative Tauranga's chief executive Tracey Rudduck-Gudsell said it has been an exciting few weeks with the number of donations starting to flow in.

"We have had a number of cruiseship visitors looking for the sculptures as they have obviously heard about the project - and this reinforces what we know will become one of the most loved and visited public artworks in our city, if not New Zealand."

If people would like to donate, they can visit www.hairymaclarysculptures.org.nz or www.givealittle.co.nz or check out the BOOSTED crowdfunding website at www.boosted.org.nz.