William Douglas Lysnar (30 April 1867 – 12 October 1942), known as Douglas Lysnar, was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party.

He was born in Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand on 30 April 1867. He was educated by his father, who was a school teacher. The family settled in Gisborne in 1879^[1]

The accountant James Charles Dunlop had a house built in 1886 that became known as Kelvin Rise. Dunlop got into difficulties and sold the house and associated land to Lysnar in 1898, who had it extended in 1900 and a ballroom and tower added in 1919. The house was "a hub of social activity in Gisborne", with various dignitaries entertained there over the years.^[8] Lysnar died on 12 October 1942 in Gisborne,^[1] and was buried at Makaraka Cemetery.^[9] According to his will, Kelvin Rise was to become a museum. Lysnar's daughter transferred the land to the council in 1954 for it to become a park and sold the house to the city for a nominal amount. Kelvin Rise opened as a museum and art gallery in 1955. The 1919 additions were split off in 1975 and moved to the city's marina and the remaining house relocated on the land to make room for a new museum building known as Tairāwhiti Museum.^[8]