Museum moving into OLS building

Council vote approves committee site recommendation

Posted By CHELSEY ROMAIN The Daily Press

After more than three years and much debate, the Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre has finally found a new home, at least for now.

A unanimous decision by city council at Monday night's meeting means the museum will move from its current location behind the Shania Twain Centre to unoccupied space in the On-Line Services (OLS) building on Spruce St. South.

City director of community development Mark Jensen provided council with a summary of the report, which included five possible options for the museum, which had to be moved back in 2006 due to water issues at it's South Porcupine location. The city's museum review committee reviewed the options, including leaving it where it is, moving it into the Shania Twain Centre, building a new facility as well as the OLS option.

Jensen explained to council that leaving the museum in the current location would mean losing the $36,000-plus it receives in funding from the Ministry of Culture, as it does not meet current requirements.

Jensen listed a number of reasons why the OLS site is preferred, pointing out its location to downtown, the fact that it is climate controlled to ensure the preservation of museum artefacts as well as being the cheapest option at an estimated cost of $150,000.

The cost of a new facility was estimated in the $9-11 million range.

However, council may have to revisit the issue in the future. There is 10,000 square feet available at OLS, which may be too small for future needs.

Later on it, there will be discussion to either expand inwards should space be available, or build an addition of approximately 5,000 square feet to provide for additional exhibition space.

The $150,000 budget would cover moving costs, interior renovations, landscaping and signage among other things.

When the decision was made to move the museum to its current location, the artefacts were transferred from the Whitney Arena to the OLS building.

Coun. Michael Doody, who acts as chairman of the committee, said the journey has been long and said those involved have worked hard and patiently over the years.

"We used common sense and what is best for the Timmins Museum and the taxpayers of the city," Doody said.

He said that the Timmins Symphony Orchestra's decision to back out of the partnership made things difficult, and a recent soil study on the potential site for a new facility near the McIntyre arena stated it was not a good site.

As a group, Doody said there were difficult decisions to be made and it was better for the museum staff to be where the collection was, and OLS offered the possibility of future expansion either internally or externally down the road.

"To be aware of the economic situation we find ourselves in, at this point in time, our best move is to make the move to OLS," said Doody. "In many ways we have suffered from being where we are presently, and we have the opportunity to enhance ourselves at the OLS site."

Most of council agreed with the decision. 

Coun. Dennis Saudino said the new site provided the museum with the opportunity to come back substantially, and perhaps, even shine. He agreed that with the proximity to the Timmins Public Library, there was the potential for the two to work together.

"Given the soil conditions, the Mac is just not conceivable," he said. "There was talk about putting the Shania Twain Centre and the museum together, but it's just not feasible to do that.

"The building was not built to put the two of them together."

While East End councillors Pat Bamford and John Curley supported the move to OLS, both made a point of saying that the move was interim, and that one day, perhaps a more permanent location could be found. Bamford pointed out the unappealing aesthetics of the building for a museum, while Curley said he was hopefully a new facility would be found in the future, preferably in South Porcupine.

"People felt the ideal location would be along the Hwy. 101 corridor, and I think that still holds true," Bamford said. "This is the right thing to do at the moment, but for those out there interested in a new facility, it's going to take a different environment than we have at this moment."

Before a vote took place, Mayor Tom Laughren said he wished he had a crystal ball all those years ago when talk of the museum first started to know they would go from talking about a $12 million building to spending $150,000.

"This is a building we own, that is under-utilized and is definitely going to help the downtown core," said Laughren. "It's important we have a museum, even though it may not be the size we all would like."

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