$36 million Lyall Bay aquarium plans revealed

The Wellington Marine Conservation Trust (WMCT) has released revived plans for a $36 million aquarium for Wellington's South Coast.

The new project, to be called the New Zealand Ocean Exploration Centre, would include indoor and outdoor displays.

Introducing the aquarium, WMCT Chairman Dr Victor Anderlini explained "the centre will be an exciting, educational and fun place where people of all ages will be able to see and learn about the marine life of Cook Strait, much of which is not found anywhere else in the world."

WMCT's original aquarium project was halted in 2008 after an Environment Court decision and heated community opposition.

The new site for the aquarium is the disused Maranui Works Depot site, on the west side of Lyall Bay.

The WMCT hope that the $36 million cost will be funded by a combination of Crown and social investment, while the Wellington Regioanl Council would be asked to do necessary earthworks, landscaping, planting and other public amenity work.

Dr Anderlini said the centre would be "unlike any visitor attraction in the Southern Hemisphere" and was expected to attract about 250,000 visitors a year.

The Wellington Employers' Chamber of Commerce has backed the proposal with Chief Executive Raewyn Bleakley stating it would be a very welcome addition to the city's tourist attractions.

Bleakley stated "this looks to be a stunning project and would add a further dimension to what the city has to offer.

"Estimates by the Wellington Marine Conservation Trust of 250,000 visitors a year would put it right up there behind Te Papa, and with many of those likely to be from out of town, it deserves the full support of the council and business.

"But the council does need to carefully consider its involvement.

"The last thing we want is a repeat of Zealandia, where the council has had to stump up more and more ratepayer money to keep it going.

"There is already talk of council grant money being available for the aquarium, as well as the council providing the land, which it owns, but there must be caution around deeper involvement.

"The council should get alongside the trust as a facilitator of this project as a potentially great asset for the city, but I know that business ratepayers would be very unhappy if it got itself into some sort of ownership position where it had to dip into its pocket to prop up the aquarium in tough times."