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The hall, located at the Dunedin train station, has been in the city for more than 20 years, but the problems, which have been simmering for many years, appear to have reached a critical point.
The closure is expected to be only temporary, but there is no clear path to the hall of fame. It is running out of funds and has been hit hard by the effects of Covid-19.
Hall of Fame chairman Stuart McLauchlan said it had been a frustrating year for the hall and that no progress had been made in raising more funding.
A review by Sport NZ was completed in January, but nothing was obtained from it.
The group’s main sponsor was Sport NZ, contributing $ 100,000 annually, while Dunedin City Council awarded just under $ 47,000 in the form of fee reimbursement. The salon needed another $ 150,000 a year.
Politicians had not provided the necessary funds even though they always said how much the sport meant to the country and wanted to support the hall, McLachlan said.
“The politicians have ignored us. John Key and Jonathan Coleman came to the room and promised things, but then the government changed and it didn’t happen,” he said.
“Until we can get some fixed funds, then we are just at the whim of the minister.”
Sports and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson had been invited to visit the room and study funding, but did not accept the invitation.
The room has been run by its CEO, Ron Palenski, since it opened in Dunedin in 1990.
Palenski said the situation was disappointing.
“Politicians say they support it, but no support comes in the form of money,” he said.
“Athletes show great dedication and loyalty to New Zealand, but politicians are not reciprocated.”
Mr. Palenski (75) indicated that he would resign if someone else was willing to take over.
It is understood that the Sport NZ report said that the room would no longer be able to function efficiently and essential actions were needed for it to continue.
According to the report, doing nothing was not an option and staying in Dunedin was not essential either. It was suggested to link the room with a sports stadium.
Palenski said items in the room will be safe if the room is closed and secured.
Robertson’s office forwarded the comment to Sport NZ, which could not be reached for comment.
The DCC was aware of the financial challenges facing the room.
The council’s community services general manager, Simon Pickford, said he had worked with the pavilion and Sport NZ to find solutions.
“DCC has supported the museum for a long time and has provided funding annually for several years,” he said.
“Funding requests must be weighed against competing priorities for the benefit of all taxpayers.”
The salon ran a surplus of $ 23,506 this year compared to $ 86 last year, but the wage subsidy helped it do just that. It was closed for two months when Covid-19 arrived.
