Artist’s rendering of new structure, which will allow Markham Museum to store thousands of archival documents now in basements and attics in buildings on the museum grounds.
Markham
November 15, 2008 09:56 PM
Keely Grasser
The Markham Museum will soon have impressive new digs that will both protect and stage its collection of historical artifacts.
Council recently gave the go-ahead for architects to proceed on a detailed design for the new collections building at the museum.
It’s a much-needed addition to the facility, according to museum manager Cathy Molloy. It will allow it to properly store the about 10,000 artifacts and 5,000 archival documents they own, she said.
Right now, many of these things are being stored in basements and attics on the premises, she said. “It’s not the optimal condition,” Ms Molloy said, especially for documents and textiles, which are fragile.
Councillor Carolina Moretti, a member of the museum’s board, said the addition has been a long time in the making.
Input was given by various parties for plans and other museums were visited for ideas, Ms Moretti said.
This fall, the Ventin Group, the architects working on the collections building, unveiled their preliminary design.
The 16,000-square-foot building, which has a preliminary price tag of about $9 million, will be LEED Silver certified. The exterior will incorporate natural materials, including wood and stone.
Ms Molloy said the exterior architecture draws likeness, in some ways, to a barn, which represents Markham’s rural routes.
Ms Moretti explained the project will draw on a ‘yesterday, today, tomorrow’ theme. She explained the new building will represent yesterday, the reception area will represent the present and the “futuristic designed” entrance will embrace the future.
“In order for us to have the present, you need the past and you always have to look into the future,” she said.
“I think it’s going to be a beautiful building,” Ms Molloy said.
The preliminary designs were presented to the public at an October open house.
“The public that did come out were quite impressed,” Ms Moretti said.
Ms Molloy said the new collections building will allow the public to view the whole of the museum’s collection in one place, once it is opened.
For now, architects are working on the detailed designs for the building.
Ms. Moretti said it’s hoped the building’s construction will go to tender this spring, with construction likely starting sometime in 2009.