History to be on show

Marlborough's marine farming history is to get its own home.

The Marine Farming Association is to set up an exhibition, which will be housed in an extension to the Marlborough Museum in Blenheim.

It is a joint project between the association and the Marlborough Historical Society, which runs the museum.

Last October, the historical society applied for a $200,000 council loan to extend the museum at Brayshaw Park.

The loan was turned down, but on Monday the council's community and financial planning committee agreed to support a proposal that the council act as the guarantor to a bank loan required to fund the extension.

Under the arrangement, the museum would pay back the loan to the bank using lease payments from the association.

Association chief executive Graeme Coates said work could now begin to raise the $400,000 in sponsorship for the exhibition.

While the recession would make things "quite difficult" in the immediate future, he expected the exhibition would be completed by the end of 2011.

. Havelock Vision 2020 convener Wendy Walker said she was "disappointed" the museum would be in Blenheim.

Mrs Walker raised concerns last October that at least 25 Havelock people wanted the display in the town, which bills itself as the "greenshell capital of the world".

The Marine Farming Association already sponsored the Havelock Mussel Festival (on this Saturday), as well as other projects, Mr Coates said.

Councillor Graeme Barsanti, who lives in Havelock, said many Havelock residents were happy with the exhibition being displayed in Blenheim.

Councillor Jenny Andrews said the exhibit would go well with the wine display already in Brayshaw Park.

Marlborough Museum chief executive Steve Austin and it was good to see progress on the proposal.

- The Marlborough Express