A special review committee of council will recommend the birth home of the Dionne Quintuplets be relocated near the Discovery North Bay Museum.
Gord Young
A special review committee of council will recommend the birth home of the Dionne Quintuplets be relocated near the Discovery North Bay Museum.
But it’s going to take the co-operation of the museum’s board to make that happen.
A meeting of the review committee heard Monday that Coun. Chris Mayne, chairman of the group tasked with making recommendations regarding the future of the Dionne home, is expected to attend a museum board meeting Wednesday.
The review committee meeting heard the museum board has so far been cool to the idea of welcoming the Dionne home as a neighbour.
But Coun. Derek Shogren, a member of the committee alongside Mayne and Coun. George Maroosis, was careful not to portray the board as an adversary.
“They’re a great board. They’ve done a lot of good work,” he said, noting the museum has developed its own business plan and long-term vision that hasn’t included the Dionne home.
Getting the co-operation of the museum’s board is key because Discovery North Bay falls under the umbrella of Heritage North Bay, which is responsible for the operation of the 30-acre Waterfront Park.
Although the city owns the museum building and the park, Heritage North Bay has been given control over much of what occurs on the lands under an operating agreement with the city.
Much of Monday’s committee meeting focused on trying to finalize the wording of the group’s recommendations for council. Although strides were made, another meeting will likely be required before that task is complete.
The committee is, however, in agreement on a number of fronts in addition to the proposed new location of the home.
It will also recommend the city retain ownership of not only the building, but the associated documents and artifacts. It will recommending the city finance the relocation of the home, including a foundation and landscaping, through the proceeds of the sale of the Seymour Street property where the Dionne home now sits.
In addition, the group is in agreement the city should be responsible for funding the home’s capital needs.
It has been given until April 4 to bring forward its recommendations to council.
If a plan to keep the home in North Bay is not approved, a recommendation is still on the table that the building, its furniture and certain artifacts go to the Strong Agricultural Society to be used as a “centrepiece” for a proposed pioneer village.
Article originally posted on http://www.nugget.ca/2017/03/20/museum-co-operation-key-to-dionne-relocation