A moratorium is the only reasonable option

Ian Scott - Charlottetown

Freeman Whitty's comments (Guardian March 9) regarding the removal of the Provincial Collection from a central collections facility (the Artifactory) to Murray River - do not recognize the long term goal of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation which is to establish a Provincial Museum, according to statements published in Hansard -

The chair of the Museum and Heritage Foundation, Satadal Dasgupta said “The Board (of the Foundation) continues to discuss its hope of acquiring an appropriate home for the provincial collection and dreams of establishing a provincial museum where much of the Island history presently housed in our ‘artifactory’ could be presented and interpreted to the public”; . . .

The concern of separating the housing of the Provincial Collection from any planning of the Provincial Museum is that the operations of the overall organization will be further challenged - with a tiny professional staff even more fragmented. If there is to be sound planning for the Provincial Museum, which the Board states as their goal, then this planning should be done in advance of the construction of a major collections management facility.

The Board is on record as saying “development of this [Provincial Collections] facility is beyond our control”. Despite the clear responsibilities granted by the Legislature, if this is the reality and the Board functions simply as handmaiden of the current government, we are in a sorry state. I believe the Board does have a role. A project, that is so central to their future functioning, and uses public funds should not be “beyond their control.”

If this is a temporary measure to manage things for a few years -- then this could potentially leave those responsible for the Northumberland Community Development Corporation with an large empty building to try and find a new tenant for, if an integrated provincial museum & collections facility is located elsewhere.

The PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation owns its current Artifactory - which has had upgrades over the years and with a few repairs could continue as a temporary collections management facility. To have a $4-5 million dollar structure constructed with public funds by a community development corporation - to lease as a temporary facility, seems short-sighted.

Dr. David Keenleyside the new Executive Director of the Museum should be given a fair chance. He should be given the time and support to carry out consultations through a planning study that concludes with a long term plan for fulfilling the mandate of the Museum.

The Legislature granted a provincial museum mandate through the Museum Act, 25 years ago, yet that mandate has not been realized. For government to continue to starve the organization and offer "take it of leave it" solutions which grant no other option but to go along with plans of being an anchor tenant of a mini-mall in the premier's riding is quite unfair. Input in planning and due process in determining suitability for long term needs is essential.

We deserve better - we need a proper study and Dr. Keenleyside deserves the support of every Islander in being allowed to carry that out without one hand being held behind his back.

A moratorium is the only reasonable option.