Talks over expanding Aratoi

SPREAD: Aratoi (in background) could expand into the now empty land in the foreground. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Tentative plans are under way to expand Aratoi on to the now abandoned Home and Hosed outdoor nursery site on the Bruce St/Queen St corner - but Aratoi board chairman Frazer Mailman said yesterday nothing was set in concrete.

The land is owned by Masterton Trust Lands Trust, which now brands itself as Lands Trust Masterton.

Mr Mailman said Aratoi had "been in dialogue" with the trust, Masterton District Council and iwi authorities.

"There are no definite plans or decisions made and it is far too early for costings," he said.

Should the expansion come to pass the intention would be "to achieve greater balance" between the art section of the gallery and the historical side. "The spark that started talks we have been having was the possible return of the waka to this area, along with a lot of other taonga from various parts of the country," Mr Mailman said.

The waka Mr Mailman was referring to is the 2-tonne 14.4-metre Te Heke Rangatira, which was a key feature at an exhibition titled Wairarapa Moana at Aratoi that opened in late 2010 and ran until mid 2011.

Te Heke Rangitira once plied Lake Onoke carrying produce, and was also used for fishing before being restored and converted to a waka taua (war canoe). It was gifted to the National Museum in 1905 by Ani Hiko, daughter of Wairarapa Moana rangatira Te Hiko-o-te-rangi and spent 50 years on display at Canterbury Museum before being returned to the National Museum.

Bringing it to Aratoi for the exhibition was a major logistical exercise, which involved creating a hole in the side of the Masterton art and history museum to get the waka inside.

Talk of a purpose-built extension to Aratoi to permanently accommodate the waka first surfaced in March, 2011 when then Masterton mayor Garry Daniell spoke of the possibility during a visit to the town by Culture and Heritage Minister Chris Finlayson.