April 10, 2007
Dear Museum & Heritage PEl Member:
Many of you were able to be present at the recent Annual General Meeting of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation. That meeting dealt primarily with the activities of the fiscal year 2005-2006 as outlined in the annual report covering that period. In addition there was a spirited discussion of the present state and future of the Museum. At the meeting we welcomed the new Executive Director, Dr. David Keenlyside, and I know he has already followed up on many contacts made at that meeting.
I think it is safe to say that this was one of the liveliest annual meetings the Museum has seen for some time and the degree of interest in and passion for the heritage of the province displayed at the meeting is certainly encouraging.
A number of resolutions were passed at the Annual General Meeting and the Board has had the opportunity to further discuss and consider these matters. This letter outlines the position the Board has agreed to as a result of the discussion and motions at the meeting.
The first resolution dealt with the need for a vision and plan for heritage in the province and specifically the role the museum can and should play. The Board had already begun this process in expectation of the appointment of Dr. Keenlyside and is committed to a further development of a planning process which will engage the membership, our partners in the heritage of the province and the general public. We already have commitments from a number of individuals, groups and organizations to help us identify challenges and opportunities for the Museum.
The second resolution called for a moratorium with regard to the construction of a new collections storage facility for our artifacts. While the Board appreciates the level of interest and concern this issue has raised, it remains convinced that the decision taken in September of 2006 to agree to the proposal made by the provincial government is in the best interest of the Museum. Last September, the Board agreed, subject to a significant number of terms and conditions which have been responded to positively, that it would be a tenant in a new facility built for the purpose of housing the collection.
The conditions which the Board required included a construction of a facility which met museum environmental standards and safety concerns for such a building, additional funding to enable the Museum to operate within the facility, and the transfer of the sale proceeds of the existing building to the Museum's endowment fund.
Since the Board's decision in September, a great deal of planning work has been carried out on the project. Our curatorial staff have been engaged in developing standards and requirements for the building and the transfer of materials and have participated in design meetings. I am pleased to say that our concerns for environmental protection for the collections have been met with a very positive response. In addition to the planning process, the site has been acquired, environmental testing has been carried out and the initial site preparation has been completed. While the final lease agreement has not been signed, we believe that this project has proceeded to a point where our concerns have been dealt with and an acceptable lease can be negotiated. In the Board's view halting the project at this late date with no alternative in sight for our collection storage needs would not be a prudent move.
Throughout the process the primary concern for the Board has been the best interests of the museum and the collections. Given the options available to the Museum over the last five years and with a view to what is likely to be offered in the future, the Board continues to believe that construction of the new Collections Storage Facility is a significant contribution to the protection of our heritage and will allow us to better discharge our responsibility to past and future donors and to the people of the province.
The third resolution of the Annual General Meeting was on the subject of Board membership. The Museum Act sets out the requirements and procedures for appointment to the Board and all appointments to the Board are made by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Board knows the importance of having interested and qualified members from a diverse heritage community and any suggestions and recommendations made by the membership will be welcome and will be forwarded to the Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs for consideration as vacancies arise in the Board membership.
The shared belief we all have for the importance of heritage in and for Prince Edward Island has the potential to make the Museum and Heritage Foundation a very strong organization. By focusing the passion and energy of many we can do much to protect, preserve and make known the province's heritage.
Yours truly,
Satadal Dasgupta, Ph.D.
Chair
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