City bails out bushplane museum

The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre would have had to close early in the new year if City Council had not stepped in with a grant this past week.

Without interim funding from the City, the popular centre would have had to close until other funding became available, likely in the late spring or early summer, bushplane board chair Hugh MacDonald told City councillors.

But the City came through and decided to grant the museum $75,000 for short-term operating capital to get it through to the summer of 2011.

This request was in addition to the existing City contribution of $75,000.

The cash will also help the Bushplane centre lever long-term core funding from other sources, said MacDonald.

The Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation recommended the City grant the money to continue the museum's year-round operations.

"To date they have been able to secure various government programs to support projects or intern and contract staff," said SSMEDC Chief Executive Officer Bruce Strapp in his report to City Council. "These programs do not address the ongoing operations deficit the centre has."

Strapp said the centre employs eight people, some part-time and some full-time, and he described the museum as a tourism attraction of value that should be retained.

"A case can be made for the maintenance of one of Sault Ste. Marie's waterfront tourism, cultural, and historical attractions," he said. "The Bushplane Centre is an important and integral part of our four culture and tourism waterfront assets."

Strapp said the bushplane centre helps keep tourists in the city longer, is a part of our historical roots and plays an important role in establishing Sault Ste. Marie as one of the most important cultural centres in support of the aviation sector in Canada.

SSMEDC has told the city it will continue to support the bushplane centre in its tourism and marketing efforts and that Tourism Sault Ste. Marie will work with the centre to develop a tourism and marketing strategy.

They will be reporting back to City Council on their progress prior to the summer of 2011.

Also SSMEDC, will work in collaboration with City Council, the local member of Parliament and member of provincial Parliament to seek a long-term solution to support the operations of the bushplane centre.