Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-04-16, Page 25Huron County Pioneer By Sharon Dietz GODI,RICH - The Huron County Pioneer Museum project is the most exciting museum development outside a major ur- ban area in Ontario, if not in Canada, says project director Claus Breede. "County council should be applauded for agreeing to the massive assistance they have given the project. Their initiative is the springboard to access other levels of fun- ding which have made the project a reali- ty," Breede adds. The Huron County project has the oppor- tunity to be really exciting in the area of museum development because the project will be constructing new buildings on the museum site, says Breede. Major upgrading projects at other museums in the province are confined to existing museum envelopes. Huron County Pioneer Museum is not. •"Our artifacts range from a 591 foot long steam engine to hat pins and buttons. It's a challenging type of collection to interpret," Breede observes. -The pioneer museum is not only undertak- ing a substantial reconstruction project, but it also plans to implement changes in the direction of its marketing strategy and public programming. A feasibility study prepared for the museum committee and Huron County Council in 1984 suggests the museum was having difficulty in meeting changing com- munity needs and expectations and in main- taining a high profile in the community. Museum attendance has been steadily declining in the last 12 years but it was determined admission rates, general economic problems, declining school enrollment and the current structural pro- blems were not the major factors behind the prolonged trend of fewer visitors. Factors which contributed most significantly however were related to pro- gramming and promotion. In the first two decades the museum expanded several times, acquired new exhibits and generally received considerable publicity, says Breede, who worked on the feasibility study on behalf of the Canadian Cultural Resource Consultants. The same did not occur after 1970. The market penetration survey discovered the museum serves a large au- dience group beyond the county's borders. It has developed a role greater than "county museum" closer to a "regional museum", at least in terms of market influence. Tourism studies indicate most trips to the Southwestern Ontario Travel Association Area are made for the purpose of visiting friends and relatives. Furthermore, a significant portion of the current market visits the museum on the recommendation of a friend or relative: For this reason, the awareness of an enthusiasm for museum ac - fifties and events by local residents is as important as the impression visitors take home with them. The market analysis indicated a need for greater publicity and promotional efforts within the county to increase awareness of museum activities and programs. For ex- ample, other museums. send out rtular - newsletters which outline'ciit ent i ects and activities, remind and also encourage participation. • Recommendations in the study include allocation of more funding for marketing in the museum budget and co-ordinating CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1986-- [useum ..laps new direction in progTammir'g HACHERT MEATS Call us for your custom slaughtering needs SLAUGHTER DAY TUESDAY 'For your freezer. sides of Beef, Pork. Lambor Veal We specialize in home cured meats and old fashioned country style pork sausage, no fillers added. All meat Gov't. Inspected t mile east 8879328 d -Walton 00 The staff of the Huron County Pioneer Museum is busy packing the artifacts tor storage during the construction period as the museum begins its development project. Over the next four years three of the museum buildings will be replaced and the original school building will be refurbished. Jane Cardno, left, and Anna Dalton pack artifacts in boxes for storage. I Sharon Dietz photo! marketing efforts with Huron County and "The winter program will be more exten- the Town of Goderich to minimize duplica- sive because now we are closed during the tion. Emphasis should be placed on pro- winter months and the community will want moting the museum locally to increase to be involved during the offseason pro - residents' level of awareness and interest. gram." The traditional program which Deficiencies in the museum's current pro- focusses on tourism will continue through grams were also identified as a cause of the summer season. declining attendance. Visitors expect to see Breede also suggests improvements to the and experience new and interesting • ac- liaison with the county school system to tivities. Children, especially like to par- more closely tailor displays and demonstra- ticipate in programs. They like doing and tions to the school curriculum. Breede is touching. This is why the working models presently making contacts with the school are so popular at the museum. board to see where the new museum will fit Although visitors like audiovisual and into the curriculum in order to structure the hands on exhibits, they also appreciate the educational experience more formally than museum's antiquated atmosphere and the in the past. opportunity for discovery. The notion of . Satellite museums will make the county making Huron County Pioneer Museum a more a part of the museum programming. `modern museum' was not appealing to ex- Breede suggests exhibits could be placed in isting visitors or local residents, says Exeter and Wingham. The museum is at Breede. present placing an exhibit in the Blyth The consultants recommended the gallery at the Blyth Memorial Hall and museum should reorganize and restructure through its closer association with the Van its programs and exhibits in such a manner Egmond Foundation, there - may be a that a balance is reached between old and satellite exhibit at the Van Egmond House. new styles of presentation. There is also the possibility of strengthening "The changes we are planning in public the relationship .with the Huron Historic programming and for exhibit strategy in- Gaol which already uses some of the clude temporary exhibits, travelling museum's artifacts in its display. displays and possibly satellite museums," Breede sees the Golden Triangle as a says Breede. The museum also plans to im- potential market for the Huron County prove its emphasis on attracting the local Pioneer Museum and hopes to move into public by means of special events and pro- that market eventually. He anticipates bet - grams, such as staging a Victorian Ball to. ween 3y00 and 35,000 visitors a year to the accompany a temporary period exhibit at' museum once the new market strategy is the museum. implemented. - "We have some fairly clear ideas hinging Breede has just returned from a major on the kind of operating budgets we will be show in Detroit where he shared a uooth given when the construction period is ended with the Town of Goderich and the Blyth and the new museum opens," says Breede. Summer Festival, so the museum is already Filter Queen "IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN VARNA" 482-7103 FBDB is a Federal Crown Corporation with a mandate to help business succeed through flexible financing. Do you need financing? • Increase in cash flow? • Refinancing? • Expansion? • Land Purchase? • Construction of building? • Renewal of equipment? • Major repairs? • Research and development? • Acquisition? At FBDB, we know that both new and well established businesses can use financing and we're here to give it to you. Here's how. We analyse your project (viability, risks, securities, equity, etc.). If it looks favour- able, we can provide you with term loans designed especially to meet your needs: • Term loans granted for up to 20 years • You can choose: — floating rates — fixed rates for periods of 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 years — combination of floating and fixed rates. • Floating interest rate loans may be converted to fixed rates (at the borrower's con- venience for a minimal fee). • Flexible repayment terms according to the borrower's capacity. — monthly installments — seasonal payments With our financial help, you'll have room to breathe, maintain' cash • flow, and grow! CaII us today: Ron Rogers, Manager (519)271.5650 - Collect 1036 Ontario Street Stratford, Ont. NSA 6Z3 La banque offre ses services dans les deux langues offlclelles. BACKING INDEPENDENT BUSINESS 40vi)Federal Busiraoss i f)eereloprnent Bank Banque federale de developpernent CaDad! Huron County Pioneer Museum has between 40,000 and 50,000 individual items in its col- lection ranging from a steam locomotive to hat pins and buttons. All of the artifacts will be catalogued on computer -as they are stored during the construction period. Above. Maryanne Roosemalen numbers the boxes and stores them on shelving installed for the purpose. (Sharon Dietz photo ) making thrusts int() new market places. The physical development of the museum will occur over a four year period with se- quential opening of new areas and galleries. This development will ensure continued public interest in the museum, allow for the integration of new exhibits and displays with the development, reduce the capital outlay on a year over year basis and allow fund raising to keep pace with the development. With a projected $2.8 million capital pro- ject, the Huron County Pioneer Museum building project is the biggest museum upgrading project in the province. The museum has received grants totalling $238,750 through the Canada Job Develop- ment Program and the National Museums of Canada, Museum Assistance Program. The grant of $123,000 under the Canada ertilizi Job Development Program is being used to , hire support people to assist with the pack- ing and storing of museum artifacts for the duration of the construction period, while the new buildings for the museum are being built. Six people have been hired and began working at the museum at the first of January. . The Museum Assistance Program grant of $115,750 will be used to prepare the ar- chitectural drawings of the . new museum buildings. The architect who assisted with the feasibility study, Christopher Borgal of Blyth was chosen as the architect to prepare a. sketches for the new museum at the March =- session of Huron County Council. The reconstruction of the museum became necessary when in December 1980, Turn to page 6A • CAN MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE! Our fertilizers have what it takes to make your Lawn a Carpet. And we back our Weed Control program with a "no-nonsense, no -argument, just phone and tell us" guarantee. RESULTS or we RESPRAY....NO CHARGE Our staff is ready and willing to give you our *FREE INSPECTION *FREE QUOTE *FREE ADVICE • fi JUST THINK FORA MOMENT... •NO confusion on what to buy .NO heavy slugging of bags from store to car to yard •NO guessing when to apply .NO guessing how much to apply *NO messy clean up of spreaders or sprayers .NO storage *NO valuable time wasted *NO worries •N9 DISAPPOINTMENTS. BRING YOUR LAWN CARE PROBLEMS TO OUR BOOT:. AT THE HOME & GARDEN SHOW •EXETER...APRIL If , 19, 20 •StAFORTHI...APRIL 25, 26, 27 •GOOERICII..,APRIL 25, 26, 27 a,