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Ermatinger-Clergue project gets nod from council

City Council has approved moving ahead with a long-cherished dream that will enhance the Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site.

City Council has approved moving ahead with a long-cherished dream that will enhance the Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site.

Historic Sites Board Chair Kathy Yukich appeared before Council at its Monday meeting and urged City leaders to move ahead with construction of the Heritage Discovery Centre at the Ermatinger-Clergue site.

The Historic Sites Board has been planning the Heritage Discovery Centre since 2007.

The Centre will be a modern, accessible addition to the historic 200-year-old site, which would turn the tourist attraction into a year-round operation (it is currently open for nine months of the year), featuring a 1812 Legacy Gallery marking the community's role in the War of 1812, and a theatre.

Yukich told Council the Ermatinger-Clergue site had to turn away no less than 22 groups (such as wedding groups) in 2012, which she estimated to be a loss of $10,000 in potential revenue for the site.

The Heritage Discovery Centre, she said, would attract more visitors and revenue.

Council's resolution authorizes City staff to issue the construction tender for the Heritage Discovery Centre project as soon as possible.

It also authorizes by-laws to access money from two federal funding agreements in connection with the project, set up a Project Steering Committee consisting of City Councillors and staff, and City funding for the Centre.

The project is nearly 75 percent funded by both federal funding ($1.9 million) from Heritage Canada and provincial funding ($1 million) from the NOHFC ($2.9 million combined).

One of the funding sources is the federal government's Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.

Community Services Commissioner Nick Apostle told reporters "they (the federal government) have given us verbal approval of their share of the funding if our project is started and well underway by March 31, 2014."

Other funding applications were unsuccessful, so the design team went back to the drawing board and cut some project costs.

That still left a funding shortfall of approximately $850,000, which Council voted to spend towards the project, based on a plan recommended by the City Finance Department.

Ward Two Councillor Susan Myers, speaking to SooToday.com, explained "Council already approved servicing the debt for the West End Community Centre to the tune of $700,000 over five years…this is a one-time amount of $850,000 Council approved tonight, so we'll simply extend servicing that $700,000 for the WECC over five years by another year and a third.  It's like buying a home and then putting on an addition. You add the cost of that addition on to that mortgage you're already paying."

Ward One Councillor Paul Christian stated he wasn't comfortable with the expense but felt the City should move ahead with the resolution, stating "this is our heritage."

Christian's fellow Ward One Councillor Steve Butland said he was not overly optimistic the Heritage Discovery Centre would be a big money-maker, but felt it would help keep the Ermatinger-Clergue site as a vital link in Sault Ste. Marie's chain of tourist attractions.
 


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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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