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WHITBY FREE PRESSMîWENEÅ DAY, J iNÃ' 1,988, PAGE 7 PAGE SEVEN •H EMUSEUMFR HITB When Marshall Macklin Monaghan did the feasibility study for the Whitby museum in 1986, They included an extensive chapter on implementation including flowcharts and timetables. According to their schedule, our new museum should be nearing completion and should be ready to open this summer. Pipedreams? it didn't have to be, but key ingredients have been missing from the beginning, chief among them is commitment. If Whitby is to have a new museumi thn all the key players have to be on-side; there has to be agreemet that Whitby needs a museum and that-it will be worth the effort and expense. And therein lies the problem - Town Council has yet to consider the matter beyond its superficial political ramifica- tions - -how to keep the heritage lobby off their backs for the least expense. The Whitby Historical Society could build a museuni without Council support but the road ahead has enough potholes without trying to buck the powers that be. Financing a museum purely from private donations is possible if you can find a few generous millionaires but building public facilities with private donations is simply a means of taxing the generous. Sixty-one percent of all funding for community museums in Canada comes from municipal government and 21% of local museums receive all of their funds from their municipalities. In preparing their study for the Whitby museum, Marshall Macklin Monaghan conducted an extensive telephone survey. Over 90% of all respondents indicated that it was "important to preserve historic buildings" and the sane percentage indicated it was "important" that Whitby have a museum. Over 50% indicated a willingness "to pay $5 to $10 per family annually to financial support [of] museum facilities in Whitby" and another 14% were willing to contribute $25 or more. Based on these figures there is a willingness to contribute $130 - $150 thousand per year. Council appears to be out of touch with their constituents. Assuming Council can be persuaded to make the commitment (and only the public can persuade them), they are still not the ones who should determine where or what it should be - they have neither the knowledge nor the interest - nor has town staff. For their part, the Historical Society lacks the administrative structure and the business smarts to plan and develop a half million dollar facility. Yet both parties have a vital interest and have to be involved. There remains a gulf of distrust between them but each realizes they need the other. Council has no more interest in the detailed operations of a museum than it has in selecting the books in the library and a similar forn of arms-length administration would be appropriate. A broadly-based museum board appointed by council in consultation with local heritage groups offers the best solution to the current impasse. As a first step council WIB OLGAEISIUECLSHNC LS.OTBR18 bestsoltio tothecurentimpase.As fist tepcoucilOne hundred years ago the girls of Whitby were taught calisthenics (exercises) by James should create a small but representative, business-oriented McBrien, an officer of the 34th Regiment. The school in the background stood at Coîborne steering group to review all documentation, determine priori- and King Streets where the Windsor Place Seniors' Apartments are now. whitiyArcbivesphoto ties, estimate costs and return to council with a specific plan. The appointment of such a steering committee is 1 ER G predicated on a commitment from Council that they willfrmteWdsayMy31198etonfte implement any reasonable proposal. "Reasonable" hias toWHTYFE PES include facilities in the 5,000 sq.ft. range (the minimum*GOTastbsssodrelcChtrassrvebtenWhtyndsaaasa standard recomended by 'the Museumis section of the suypeae o ubn ein Ministry of Culture and Communications) constructed (either*CosrcinothEatWibC-petveHuepjctf90ntsilsatson new or renovated) at the '"going rate' of $70-$80 per sq.ft. To *Tetw oni e ie w ednst ya aigsoedtcosmnaayi spend less would result in an inadequate facility. (If Whitby alhms hywl o ieatidraigutlpbi ecini eevd funded its library the way it has funded the museumi, there *TeTw fWib spann arcgietewr fvlner ntecmuîy wouldn't be any books let alone a building - and nobody would use it. As with most things, you get what you pay for.) Some councillors are flirting with the idea of using the 2 ER G Centennial Building. Athough it has many advantages, I fo h hrdy a 0 93eiino h suspect they are looking for yet another "cheap" solution.*CatA.Bseeofhe W TYWEKY EW Renovation of this building to meet museumi standards would Txc rv a eevdatphtfrbign h ls oto be just as costly as any other and continued funding fromi the tesao naWib abr provincial government depends on meeting those standards.*EdtrCrMatofteW klNwsiugngheont byndevcenutil The steering group must have adequate funding itself to*ladtloethrsiniatxrt. carry out its mandate and must have the full cooperation ofeecin bot cunilan th hstrialsocet. t ees te utorty* Dvi OcheronE †A Eooh .Pr fteRylCnevtr fMsc ootw to get independent property appraisals and the resources conduct music examinations in Whitby in June. update the figures in the consultants' study. The planning process should take no longer than a few mepths. They would lay the groundwork for provncial and federal from the Friday June 1, 1888 edition of the grIants and within this framework, would recommend a WHITBY CHRONICLE capital budget and thé need for additional public fundraising. Once accepted, the committee with some modification could * Brooklin area farmers are urged ta bury their dead horses which are poisoning the air. be responsible for implementing its recommendations and for e The Town of Whitby is paying for the upkeep of a child abandoned-by its parents recently the eventual management of the museum. in the North Ward. Tourism is the fastest growing industry in Canada and * John S. Barnard selîs diamond engagement rings for five dollars each et bis jewellery shop museums are one of the prime attractions. If we do it right, on Brock Street. the whole community will benefit. The only thing missing is e Cows running et large and street corner loafers are a problenifor Chief Constable Hugh the political will tof make it happen. romtheFri