Lismore councillor David Yarnall has opposed planning for a new art gallery in the city.
Cr Yarnall told ABC radio today that council is running at a loss and a $10 million art gallery would only add to it.
Lismore last week missed out on a $1 million bequest from artist Margaret Olley, which went instead to Tweed River Gallery, because plans for a new Lismore art gallery were shelved due to opposition in council.
While the councillor admitted that the current gallery is inadequate, he argued that even the maintenance costs of a new gallery would be prohibitive.
He said, ‘It costs Lismore $900,000 a year to maintain our current assets. How are we going to afford this? Is the mayor going to raise the rates?’
