Town officials will work with members of the Harriston Historical Society on their struggles to raise enough funds to rent the top floor of the local library building.
A delegation from the society attended the June 6 council meeting to plead their case for help with the rent on the John Webb Gallery, where the society hosts regular exhibits on topics of local history.
“Our home in the local library has certainly been a bonus for us with exposure and space to meet our mandate,” said historical society member Mark MacKenzie.
He noted the facility has helped spark interest in local history, pointing out there have been 6,000 visitors to the display room since 2010 and last year alone the society fielded 125 requests for local family and history information.
“While we work hard to fundraise, it is becoming difficult to reach our target of over $4,500 per year to keep the door open,” MacKenzie explained.
He added the volunteer organization has operating costs of about $1,200 to $1,500 per year, in addition to about $3,300 to rent the facility at the library.
While the society has a number of faithful donors that help it meet its targets, MacKenzie said “it’s a small town and the businesses just can’t support everybody.”
He added, “It’s getting to the point that within a few years we won’t be able to meet our obligations with our $3,300 rent.”
MacKenzie noted many municipalities offer free space for their history groups
“We’re not asking for that,” he stated, adding the group is asking council to “review our agreement and consider lowering our rental responsibility.”
“What kind of dollars do you think your group could handle?” asked councillor Ron Elliott.
“I don’t know what the figure would be. We have $3,300 to raise and we can raise some of that,” said MacKenzie, noting he was reluctant to name a figure in case the group turned out to be unable to reach it.
A financial report from the society indicates revenue of $2,963 in 2016 against expenses totaling $5,394.
Mayor George Bridge suggested town staff and council representatives meet with the society “and try to work some strategies out.”
Bridge noted the timing for the discussions is good because the town is about to enter negotiations with the County of Wellington on a new five-year lease agreement (the county owns the library and rents facilities to the town).
Bridge noted the county has been very supportive of the needs of the municipality and local organizations in terms of library usage.
“They put a lot of capital into that building. They didn’t have to finish the third floor but they did,” he said.
Councillor Judy Dirksen asked if the society pays the entire rent charged by the county for the portion the society uses.
“Right now we subsidize, quite heavily, the rent,” Bridge responded. He noted society members make more than a financial contribution to the operation.
“What you don’t have in here is the number of man or people hours that you people put into the facilities … You don’t get paid. There’s no curator. We don’t have a museum that way,” he said.
Bridge noted the group obtained an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant in 2013 that was used to enhance the facility. The $21,000 grant was used to purchase computer and camera equipment, display cases, shelving, filing cabinets and an outdoor canopy for special events.
However Bridge pointed out there are other local groups, including the Minto Arts Council, that use the third floor “so we have to look at the whole overall strategy.”
Elliott agreed with the approach Bridge suggested.
“I think it’s important. I think we have to have this happening in our community,” he stated.
“They do a great job and quite often if you look in other communities they pay people to run these operations and these people are asking not to pay to run it .. if we can negotiate to help them survive and stay above water I think we should.”
Council directed staff to arrange for meetings between town officials and society members to discuss the financial issues.
