Council shops around for museum curator options

July 24, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

In finding someone to look after Aurora’s historic artefacts, Council has decided to shop around.

Councillors made the decision to put into motion looking for a third party curator to look after artefacts and other items related to Aurora’s history collected and received by the Aurora Historical Society (AHS). It is the latest chapter in the ongoing negotiations by the municipality to acquire ownership of the collection from the AHS, which started with the Society putting out feelers over a year ago.

While Councillors have already supported the concept of taking over ownership of the collection, in recent debates, it has all come down to how much money will be needed to maintain and restore the collections, and how many people it would take to curate it.

Council’s decision calls on putting out a request for third party applicants who would be able to “maintain, plan, and prepare exhibitions and programming of the Aurora Collection. Going into the meeting, however, Councillors were facing a recommendation to go with another option, providing a base funding of $100,000 for a full-time curator with a laundry list of responsibilities from curatorial services to conservation, as well as a part-time curatorial assistant, which would largely deal with public requests and administration.

This was the option also favoured by the AHS, according to board member Bob McRoberts. Delivering his argument to Council, he said hiring additional staff to maintain the collection is a given, but adequate staffing and ongoing funding would be necessary to re-establish a true permanent museum.

“The AHS is pleased to transfer the Aurora Collection to Town Ownership as soon as it is mutually convenient, no matter which of the options Council decides upon,” he said. “However, in doing so, and as 50 year owners of the collection, the Board of Directors of the AHS feels an obligation to ensure proper future care of the collection. Please aim for success in the long run and not just the short run by supporting Option 1.”

Mr. McRoberts’ arguments resonated with Councillors Paul Pirri and Evelyn Buck. Councillor Buck, a long-time proponent of re-establishing the Aurora Museum, preferably in the Church Street School building, said while she wasn’t fully in agreement with the financial prospects of Option 1, it is the best glimmer of hope in the long-term goal of a new museum.

“It is the only glint of hope I have that this Town will ever re-establish its museum and it is a desperate measure on my part because I don’t have any confidence,” she said.

Councillor Sandra Humfryes, herself a vocal supporter of re-establishing a museum, also supported the first option.

“I still think it is the way to go to provide the funding base we require to get things going and hopefully we can move forward to helping our museum,” she said.

Councillor Michael Thompson, however, said he did have confidence and going with Option 3 would simply put all the cards on the table. It wouldn’t rule out Council going back and going with the first option, he argued. This was an argument shared by the majority of Council members who agreed it was important to explore all options before making a final decision.

“I lost the argument about waiting until we have a Cultural Master Plan,” said Councillor Chris Ballard. “Having said that, if we move ahead with anything tonight, I think I would like to go with Option 3 just to see what is out there. I don’t believe if we hire Town Staff we will ever devolve into an arms-length or third party operator. We will have unionized staff running that and the costs associated with that.”

Support for the third option was also ultimately supported by Councillor John Abel who said he is in favour of funding with a curator, he was curious to see what would come forward; and it was also supported by Councillor Wendy Gaertner because she was “not in favour of putting money forward” right now as it was something she believed should be tackled through the 2014 budget process.

“I think it is wonderful that we’re moving towards the re-establishment of the museum,” said Councillor Michael Thompson. “It is a big commitment that we have moved forward with the assumption of the Aurora Collection. In doing so we become stewards of the collection entrusted to us.

“I am certain that we all take that responsibility very personally and there will be those discussions and commitments at budget time about how best to care, preserve, and promote the collection… [and the] question is what is the best way to manage or govern the collection?”