Three options to be presented for Aurora Collection’s future

July 17, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

Select pieces from the Aurora Collection, a large group of artefacts which tell the story of Aurora’s past, are now on display at the Aurora Cultural Centre — but while these artefacts show where they have been, there might be a clearer sense of where they are going this week.

Councillors will consider three options on the future of the Aurora Collection this week. The options follow direction given by Council last month to allocate up to $100,000 towards the collection along with a report on how historic pieces can be managed and conserved.

Since that time, further discussions have taken place between Al Downey, Aurora’s Director of Leisure Services and Catherine Richards, Curator for the Aurora Historical Society, charting the way forward.

“We [were] concerned that the funding provided was not clearly stated as one-time or base funding,” said Mr. Downey in his report, which hopes to clear up some of the uncertainty.

The first option is to provide base funding of $100,000 for the collection, hiring a full-time curator to oversee matters. This person would handle much of the administration surrounding the Aurora Collection, which will become property of the Town of Aurora should this go forward. They would also coordinate exhibitions, activities, and conservation efforts.

“The position’s primary responsibility will be focused on the collection and no exhibition of the collection is anticipated, with the exception of developing the inaugural Aurora Sports Hall of Fame exhibition, in the event Trillium funding is secured, and continuing the loan and material for display at the Aurora Public Library,” says Mr. Downey in his report.

Adding a part-time curatorial assistant under the $100,000 would help maintain public access to the collection, he notes.

The second option would be to provide a one-time-only cash infusion of $100,000 into the collection, which would include the hiring of a curator for a one year period. This accounts for one full-time position, without support staff, which would include responsibilities such as asset management, administration, conservation, and organization. $60,000 would be allocated for the new curator, while the balance would go towards office expenses.
The third option would outsource operation of the Aurora Collection, with an undetermined price tag.

“A reduced funding model from the report presented to Council in February 2013 would permit the care and management of the Collection, a primary concern identified in the report,” said Mr. Downey. “The reduced funding, however, does not allow for the opportunity to provide exhibition of the Collection, as well as the development of sponsorship, partnership or grant programs to help sustain the Collection, with the exception of the Sports Hall of Fame.

“Staff are confident that this initial funding will enable a successful transfer of the Collection to the Town.”
The success, however, depends on a meeting of the minds.

Speaking ahead of this week’s Council meeting, Mayor Geoffrey Dawe said he was in favour of the third option. Putting the word out there that having a third party do it would be a good first step in determining the best financial course of action,” he said.

“[We would] find out what other ideas are out there in the community for moving forward,” he said. “We are all very keen on moving it forward. I don’t think we’re all necessarily on the same page as to how to do that, but…maybe this will give us new insight on how to put this together and be efficient and cost-effective at the same time.”

The Aurora Historical Society Board, however, favours the third option of $100,000 being the base funding for something more. Bob McRoberts, who was slated to make a delegation to Council Tuesday evening in favour of the option, said Option 3 was added to the report last week after the first two options were submitted.

“The Board has not had any deliberations on that,” he said. “When we brought the whole [idea to take over the collection] to the Town at the end of 2011, it was with the idea the Town would take things over, not necessarily a third party. I don’t think it is as simple as some Councillors have in mind.

“There are a lot of new duties and responsibilities. One might wonder who on staff currently for the Town would judge the abilities of a third party to do the work.”