Proposed grant cuts to Owen Sound’s two museums could cripple the facilities and maybe even result in their closure.
That according to their Manager and Members of their board.
The City’s 2011 draft budget calls for the museum’s total grants to be trimmed by a total of more than six thousand dollars — from more than 91 thousand last year to just over 85 thousand dollars.
The Billy Bishop Home and Museum, a national historic site, would see its grants cut by $3,375 to $47,625 — and the Marine and Rail Museum would be cut by $2,700 to $37,985.
Similar cuts are projected annually over a five-year period.
Board members represented by manager Mary Smith, Chair Doctor John Totton and Dave Alexander made a deputation on Monday night to city council — pointing out the negative impact of these cuts if they’re approved at budget deliberations this week.
The fallout could include school program cuts, losses of exhibits as well as a decline in corporate sponsorships, donations and memberships — and even partial or permanent closure of at least one of the museums.
The board members are also disappointed that they weren’t consulted about the proposed cuts.
Doctor Totton says they’ve already trimmed as much as they can from their budgets and any further cuts will adversely impact their programs and services.
Smith points out that any cuts at all are detrimental to the Bishop home in particular, because the city does not cover the cost of utilities and those costs are steadily increasing.
Doctor Totton says it’s too soon to tell which museum would be sacrificed, if it comes to that — but he adds it would be a “national tragedy and national shame” if the Bishop home were closed.
Councillors told the museum representatives that they understood their concerns and appreciated the work they do in the community, but the city faces some tough fiscal challenges.
Mayor Deb Haswell said after the meeting that any museum closure would be an enormous disappointment to council as well as to the entire city — and that council will do everything in its power to ensure the museums’ operations are not jeopardized.
