After receiving Council approval, funding for the Wallaceburg and District Museum, Buxton Black Historical Site & Museum, Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society – Black Mecca Museum will be maintained at 2022 levels in 2023.
The 2023 funding follows that of 2022, with $17,500 of Together CK/Core Grant funding for each site and the balance of funding from the strategic reserve, Audrey Ansell, director of community culture and connections, said in a staff report.
Council approved the recommendations at their Monday, August 14, 2023 Council meeting.
Ansell said her report responded to a motion by Chatham Councillor Marjorie Crew voted on at the June 6, 2022 council meeting.
“Museums are a vital part of telling the CK story from our history of the Underground Railroad to the settling of all of Chatham-Kent,” Crew said in her original motion.
“These community services align directly with the goals and objectives with the CK 2035 Plan and support our ongoing initiatives in the areas of tourism and culture and are economic drivers in our community.”
Crew added: “They must rely on unsecure annual funding, grants, and volunteers to keep these collections of our history available to tourists and the public.”
Ansell said a report that includes feedback from the museums and that considers ongoing funding options is currently being prepared.
“The report is expected to be presented to Council on or before the October 30, 2023 scheduled meeting and it is anticipated that ongoing base funding needs will be referred to the 2024-2027 multi-year budget discussions,” she added.
Read the full report, here.
