The Elliot Lake Museum Advisory Board is getting a fun new online database, its webpage will soon play nicer with the city site and it's looking forward to a new home.
At the first meeting of the year on the city calendar the advisory board convened yesterday at 6 p.m. at city hall, Museum Curator, Amelia D’Amato told the advisory board members the main focus recently, has been the museum’s online database.
It's planned to provide public access to the museum’s collections. Her written report in the meeting package, available online on the city’s calendar, reports, “We are now fully integrated into the new collections management system and have been preparing records for digital public consumption.”
Preparations are underway to redesign the launch page of the online database to better integrate with the City website. A soft launch is planned soon.
Board chair, Councillor Luc Morrissette opened the meeting and the committee also discussed the Formation of Miners' Memorial Name Selection Subcommittee, a closed-session topic dealing with personal information about identifiable individuals.
Plans are moving forward toward a physical space for the museum. D’Amato reiterated the news from the Dec. 11 council meeting where a staff recommendation was approved to use the main floor of the newly acquired former church building for space. It is planned the space will be used for a hybrid museum/performance theatre. A welcome centre is also planned on the main floor.
Council’s approval is welcome news to the museum board.
Staff recommended that a working group be created to launch a survey to the public for feedback. The group would consist of interested members from the advisory board. The results of the survey will inform the advisory board, supporting recommendations and goals that will serve the public interest.
D’Amato: “If anybody is interested, we can form a working group.” A show of hands promptly determined that all the members of the board want to participate in the working group.
Noting that the pool lifeguards currently supporting the museum’s archiving work will be going back to their pool assignment, Councillor Morrissette inquired about staff support for the museum. He also inquired about plans for grant applications and fundraising plans.
Staff will bring a recommendation to the Recreation and Culture Standing Committee meeting, Monday, regarding a federal grant from the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. If the rec and culture committee is in support of the staff recommendation it will go to council for consideration.
The next meeting of council is planned for Jan. 15.
Citizens can view the staff reports ahead of the meeting, by accessing the meeting package on the City’s online calendar here.