WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1988, PAGE 7 PAGE SEVEN 6~,O~O~2 77 A NEW MUSEUM FOR WHITBY Where to put it 7 When Bill Little proposes to rebuild the old Whitby Post Office at the corner of Mary and Brock and lease part of it for a new Whitby Museum, he is looking for the business it can generate for Pearson Lanes. More power to him - he has seen what still eludes our politicians. A good museum attracts local visitors and tourism dollars. People who visit . museums also spend money in nearby shops. It is estimated that the total attendance at all museums and galleries in Canada this year will be 50 million - an average of two visits for every man, woman and child. Assuming Whitby-ites are typical, then there are 100,000 visitors right here in Whitby. When Lynde House was moved, the Historical SocietyG 00 commissioned a study which included a thorough analysis of all possible sites for a new museum. A lot of the information is already outdated, but, perhaps most importantly, the consultants from Marshall Macklin Monaghan established a set of criteria for comparing and evaluating potential sites including 1) availability, 2) site considerations such as size, parking, zoning, and 3) location (accessibility and proximity to complementary activities). These criteria were weighted and the sites ranked accordingly. Both existing buildings which could be converted to a museum and vacant sites were evaluated. Below is a list of possible sites based on the consultants' criteria but updated in light of current circumstances. Brock Street School The Port Whitby school was closed several years ago and is currently used for storage by the Board of Education. In the consultants' analysis it rated the highest of the existing buildings. The historical society made initial overtures to the Board but these have not been pursued. There is the possibility of joint use with the Board as a resource centre. Centennial Building The consultants rated this quite a bit lower because it involved leasing of facilities, in this case from the Town. This would complicate the modifications that would be necessary to make a good museum. However if the Town comes onside, it is undoubtedly a superb site - close to the centre of Town, close to the Tourist Information Centre, lots of parking. Registry Office This building immediately north of the Centennial Building was thought to be unavailable at the time the consultants were working but it was vacated quite suddenly last summer and hence becomes one of the best sites. The building is historic, of reasonable size and has large open spaces which makes the layout of displays a lot simpler. The study examined a total of eight vacant sites where a brand new museum could be built but the one which got the highest rating was the vacant land around the Whitby Library. The formation of a cultural complex either there or M ITARY REVIEW ON THE JOSEPH MITCHELL FAM MAY 26e 1916 with the Station Gallery was considered desirable. The fact This picture shows officers Dr. James Moore and Major Robert B. Smith on horseback at a that the Library Board is currently looking at developing amilitarreviw held for the th Battalionwere the West Lynde subdivision is now, west new main library as part of the new recreation complex nextofAnsSre.Tesdirde ntaedterbtesilsnamckigteoebig to the Town Hall presents botb opportunities and potentialsetetbralhignEuo.WhbyAhvepoo problems for this site. Now, since the completion of the study, several additional 1 ER G Sprivately owned historic buildings have been suggested. MostfrmteW nsayMy24198etonfth could be bought at market value if desired.WHTYFE PRS 506 Brook St. S. ThWhtyCabroComreilpuisaco uitgudasa5tanvrar This early Victorian bouse which bas been the subject of a poet logrnigzoning battle is currently for sale. Councillor *WsmntrUie hrhwl ot h nal uiia or ftetw oni Drmm suggested more than a year ago that it be moved fordosntapoeissnoctznshungpjctobeultnMnigRad use as a museum, but why bother? - a museum in that WhtyCnrlBsnsDititIpoe ntAaComtewilietosudnso location would be a fine introduction to downtown Whitby. t *da i h onen would need extensive retrofitting and probably expansion. WlimMnigbsbe lce ehsscn ema rsdn fteNrhWr n This beuiu itrcchurch is privatey ownedandAha changed hands several times in recent years. It deserves fo h hrdy a 3 93eiino h Iprotection asaheritage bulig- whtbetter wythan asTB aEL NW musum Is are peninerorwoldbe oo fr msem. Te ffcii penngofth nw ocaioalsetin f Adeso HghScoolwil ak pac Bigalow Building tomorrow. Described by a Heritage Canada resource team as "per- The town council is faced with termination of Whitbys ambulance service if it does not haps the finest building in the Downtown", this building, only provide a $5,000 grant. two doors from the four corners, has been vacant now for at 0 Town council bas given two readings to a bylaw to name the 3rd Concession Rossland least ten years and its unkempt appearance is a blight on the Road. Ontario Municipal Board approval is needed for a third reading. entire area. The concept of a museum in an historic commer- * Traffic lights are proposed for the intersection of Brock and Mary Streets. cial building would be quite unusual and offers interesting opportunities. Most important, like Bill Little's Post Officee 100 YEARS AGO plan, it brings tourists right to the heart of downtown - and a Friday May 25, 1888 edition hundred thousand extra customers sure won't hurt. WHITBY CHRONICLE This is only a partial list. Other historic buildings, mostly bouses have also been suggested. And now there is Little's A young man reported missing from Markbam bas been found worIng on a Whitby farm. Post Office proposal. John Woodhouse, teacher at the Port Whitby Public School from 1857 te 1887, died on May All of these sites have advantages, all have drawbacks; 19 at the age of 71. but the framework for making a reasonable selection bas John Dryden MPP, of Brooklin, attended a Shorthorn cattle show in Chicago hast week. already been carefully worked out. The S4tb Battalion of volunteer militia will attend the annual drill. camp at The problem is no longer a lack of options. The problem is Niagara-on-the-Lake for 12 days in June. the will to act. Next Week: A Blueprint for Actionih aerodotieeioBc n M t