In 2011 we entered into a unique agreement with Genview for our Museum. We permitted them to use, for a finite period, a portion of our Museum as a sales office; in return they would execute important renovations to address maintenance issues and to enlarge exhibition space. We have been very satisfied with quality of renovations and Genview has had their sales office open. It is my understanding that the challenges of co-habitation have been managed effectively to date. Genview has now asked for an extension of their lease: specifically for two years. Public meeting is being held April 8th to receive public comments.
At the public meeting I will be very much in a listening mode as I am totally taken back with the request. I need to understand why such a request would be made. My initial response is of serious concern as there is great risk for any enterprise which seeks to engage the public to be “temporarily out of order” for so long. Our artifacts have been in storage since summer 2011; two years more is a long time.
If you have a point of view I urge you to attend the public meeting on April 8th and provide your comments. If you cannot attend email your comments to the Clerk. (ksmyth@king.ca). And for sure, let me know your thoughts.
Several builders have moved their sales offices more than once during pre-construction so I don’t see why this builder should feel he is entitled to a lease extension. This is a public facility funded with taxpayer dollars that has space the public needs. The current Curves location is closing at the end of April. King City will then have no fitness facility in town and space at the Museum may be of interest as an alternative fitness space or other recreation purposes. I wouldn’t be at all surprised should the lease be extended that the developer in 2 years time would generously offer to re-locate the museum so that the land it sits on could be re-zoned for housing.
You mention a highly relevant fact: sales offices do often move around. I don’t quite follow your point about the Museum space being transposed into a fitness facility; the museum is not lacking on content, so to speak, for the space and is feeling quite constrained by the decision to share with the developer/builder. And I guess we can only wait to see if your forecast about the developer offering to relocate the museum comes true; that would clearly be a very big decision…but as we have enough decisions right how to wrestle with I will not pursue that one now.