When Wellington County expands the archives here in 2009, it will mark the end of a tenant relationship that has lasted for years with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs.
Information, seniors, and heritage committee chairman Brad Whitcombe said in an interview on March 14 that his committee had earlier in the week deferred to recommendations dealing with the archives expansion plan in order to make arrangements for two farms groups that are users of the Wellington County Museum and Archives.
Whitcombe said the county will first work with the Wellington Federation of Agriculture and other farm groups in order to find them free meeting space, which they have enjoyed at the OMAFRA offices to date.
Secondly, he said, the county will be working with the ministry and the Ontario Realty Corporation to find office space, which includes a new home for OMAFRA offices.
County councillor Carl Hall has been telling council that he is opposed to using the space OMAFRA uses for the archives expansion. He said at county council last month that Wellington County is first and foremost an agricultural community, and he wants to see the ministry remain in a central location.
Hall reiterated on Tuesday that tearing down the building that houses the ministry for a new archives does not make him happy, and there are dozens of commodity groups that need the meeting space at the county museum.
He acknowledged that county council has the final decision and there has not yet been a firm proposal the tear down that section of building. He said groups for beef, dairy, crops, vegetable growers, sheep, as well as Farm Safety and the county plowmen’s association use the building now, and agriculture is important in Wellington County.
But Whitcombe said that the ministry has known that expansion plans at the archives will require the space it now occupies. He said the Federation of Agriculture complaint was “a bit of a surprise, and that is why there is a delay. The county has to give nine months notice before taking over the ministry space, and work is not scheduled to begin until 2009.”
The county recently approved a design, but that is as far as the project has proceeded.
Whitcombe also indicated that the county is working hard to keep the ministry located somewhere in Centre Wellington, which is a central location for all of the county.
“We’ve talked to [Centre Wellington Mayor] Joanne Ross-Zuj, and they’ve indicated they will help,” Whitcombe said.
He noted that for the federation, there are meeting spots available at Wellington Terrace, and also that Veteran’s Hall, in the basement of the Centre Wellington municipal office, is free to community groups.
“There’s lots of spots,” Whitcombe said, adding, “It’s nine months. It won’t be until next year.”
Ross-Zuj said in an interview that there have been some enquiries to her municipality, and Centre Wellington will be please to work with the county to find solutions.
Hall indicated on Friday that if a compromise can be reached that keeps OMAFRA offices central, he can go along with the proposed changes.
Meanwhile, Whitcombe’s committee has recommended the county start pre-qualifying contractors for the work next year and staff be authorized to issue a request for proposal for architects. All decisions will be made at county council, and the issue will likely be considered on March 27.
