More than a thousand people attended a rally in Whangarei yesterday in support of a Hundertwasser art centre.
A model of the proposed gallery. Photo: WHANGAREI ART MUSEUM
After years of controversy over the cost and design, the Whangarei District Council recently voted not to fund the building envisaged for the city by the late Austrian artist, Friedrich Hundertwasser.
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This week, it must decide if it will accept an offer by a local trust, Prosper Northland, to build the centre at no cost to the ratepayers.
The proposal is one of three the council has received for its old Harbour Board building, after calling for ideas from the public.
Mayor Sheryl Mai said the rally sent a clear message of support for the Hundertwasser proposal.
"The things that influence our decisions are the feelings of the people that we represent, so for me, today, I'm seeing a really clear message."