Rain or shine, Ann-Elisa Miles continues to share her passion for Rotorua's museum as a volunteer guide - despite the building having been closed since 2016.

Now, as Rotorua Lakes Council considers difficult decisions about the iconic Bath House building's future, she is urging it to keep investing in strengthening it to restore it as a museum.

'It is the soul of Rotorua.”

This is one of four options for the iconic Rotorua Museum - Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa's future councillors will receive in a meeting today.

According to the meeting agenda, they will be asked to decide whether to give the go-ahead to begin consulting the public about the four options.

The options are to restore and reopen the museum; to stage the project; postpone it; or to earthquake-proof the building to a lower standard - which will mean it can't not be used as a museum.

The building closed in 2016 after sustaining significant structural damage in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Kaikōura.

It is more than 100 years old and carries a Category 1 heritage rating.

Despite not being able to access the interior, Ann-Elisa has continued to conduct tours of the outside of the building.

The Norwegian told Local Democracy reporting she has spent 20 years sharing her love and learnings of Rotorua's past.

She feels no time should be wasted in fixing and opening the building as a museum, and says it's of national significance.

She acknowledges she holds strong views on the issue and believes the building and the land, with its rich history, is the appropriate place to house Rotorua's treasures.

National Party Rotorua MP Todd McClay says as an MP he does not hold a view on any options but believes there will be strong opinions from the public as to what to do.

He says the total project cost is 'a very large amount of money”, which has the potential to grow. He also notes the current economic climate.

The budget needed to complete the construction is now estimated to be at least $81.4 million, and the council will need to find about an extra $28m capital investment if it chose to pursue this.

According to the agenda, the extra cost is proposed to be met through $9m of council funding, obtained through borrowing, and $19m of external funding.

'We've got to keep in mind what is affordable at the moment,” says McClay.

He believes public consultation is the best way forward and calls for 'calm and respectful” discussion.

Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers Association chairman Reynold Macpherson says its members hold diverse views on the museum.

'Some want it to go back to central government where it came from.

'Some see it as beautiful and iconic, and far more worthy of restoration than other pet projects because it could generate income.”

He says others see the 'escalating costs” and the council's inherited $300m debt and its attempt to improve its finances as reasons for mothballing it.

'Elected members would be wise to commission advice on all options from a licensed and experienced quantity surveyor and then consult ratepayers.”

A Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga spokesperson says it's aware of the four proposed options.

'The Bath House (former) is of national and international significance for its association with the development of overseas tourism to New Zealand.”

They say the building stands on Ngāti Whakaue gifted land when the Government established Rotorua as a tourist resort in 1880, and is the first major building project carried out by the government to stimulate international interest in its spas.

Rotorua Museum has been closed since 2016. Photo / Laura Smith.

Heritage New Zealand will continue to work with the council and other parties to explore the options and assist in finding a course of action that 'best conserves the cultural, social, and architectural heritage of this significant building”.

Rotorua Musuem's website detailed how in 1963 the council took over control of the Bath House, and the museum opened in its south wing in 1969.

Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell says there is, naturally, a lot of interest in the future of what the building will be.

'Progress has unfortunately been slow to date, but we're committed to finding a solution as soon as possible.

'The projected cost for fully restoring it to a museum has risen drastically since the council last consulted with the community in 2018.”

Since the last consultation was five years ago, a lot has changed and she believes it will be appropriate to ask the community what their aspirations for the building were and what they were willing to pay.

'The big question is how much of a priority this project is to our community now that we know a full restore will cost upwards of $81.4m, with ongoing costs expected.”

A council spokesperson says elected members will be considering the matter at today's Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting.

- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.