Members of city council made the decision Tuesday night to give the Discovery North Bay Museum a helping hand by pitching in $107,000 for window replacement, repairs, and masonry rehabilitation.
But they aren’t alone, with the Ontario Trillium Foundation and FedNor providing an additional $151,000 and $66,000 as an initiative to mark Canada 150.
While the City of North Bay owns the property that houses the museum, the North Bay Area Museum Society operating under Heritage North Bay (HNB) has a long term lease to use, operate, and maintain the building.
“The building is a tremendous building for the city of North Bay,” Coun. Mark King said. “It does require that work—the windows themselves are leaking.”
King said he recognizes the hard work the museum’s committee puts in and was pleased to see council stepping up, but was even more pleased to see higher levels of government coming in as well.
“The Canada 150 funding was part of the overall money,” he said. “It’s good to see senior levels of government stepping up to help facilities like that.”
According to the report, HNB has identified significant window damage and exterior wall deterioration, deficiencies, and conditions that require attention.
Originally installed on the historic CP Station in 1979, the windows and frames saw repairs after a 2004 report, instead of the recommended replacements due to budgetary restraints. As a result, over the past five years, several windows have begun leaking and fogging. In addition, the exterior frames are in poor condition. The report states the windows and frames are at the end of their service life and must be replaced this time.
The museum's exterior walls are in poor condition and need masonry repairs to stop further deterioration, ensure safety around the building and restore the integrity of the building's exterior.
The report projects the window replacements will improve energy efficiencies, provide enhanced climate control for museum exhibits, reduce heating and cooling costs and reduce ongoing maintenance.
If not addressed now the museum exterior will continue to deteriorate until it is no longer suitable for use as a community museum and repairs become far more expensive.
