What will happen to the Raccoons?

The AGA has in its possession approximately 600 boxes of animation cels (transparent sheets on which cartoon characters and objects are painted or drawn for traditional animation), along with storyboards, paintings and other animation material.

The AGA collection includes material from the Canadian-made animated television series The Raccoons.

The unique collection of material pertains to animation in general, but also highlights the role Canadians have played in animation.

The cels, over the years, have been kept at various locations throughout the city, none of which have proper environmental controls up to museum or archival standards, due to a lack of space at the AGA.

The cels, according to a 2009 estimate, are worth approximately $11 million.

The idea of an Animation Centre for Sault Ste. Marie, including the cels and built near the gallery or at the Gateway site, was formally developed in 2004.

It was hoped by the AGA a combination of funding from all three levels of government would make the centre a reality and become an "edutainment" tourist attraction and job creator for the community.

Capital costs for construction of the centre were estimated to be between $7.4 million and $7.9 million in 2004.

Municipal leaders, among them Ward 1 City Councillor Steve Butland, expressed their support for an Animation Centre.

Economic realities had, by 2009, put the concept on indefinite hold.

The animation material was acquired by the AGA in three groupings, beginning in 1998.

The first was a collection of cels and other material from the Super Dave Osborne cartoon series.

That was followed, in 2000, with material from the Family Classics series.

The Raccoons collection was added in 2009.