Fundraisers working on a tight deadline to raise $5 million for a new North Vancouver Museum and Archives on the City of North Vancouver waterfront are on track to meet their goal.
"All in all, the campaign is considered to be on track at this point and we have every reason to believe we will succeed in meeting the challenge we've been given of raising $5 million by Dec. 31 and we'll keep working until we do that," said Don Evans, chair of the new museum campaign, in a report to city council Monday night.
Once complete, the museum is envisioned to be an "interactive experience" along the lines of Seattle's Museum of History and Industry.
So far, the museum's fundraisers are about 40 per cent of the way to their goal and a $2-million federal museum grant is "progressing very well" "Yes, we've got still work to do and we're hard on track to do that work. We're going to keep at it but we do believe we'll meet the commitment and bring to reality the new museum at the Shipyards that will be an asset to both the Shipyards development and a social and economic contributor to the city of North Vancouver," Evans said.
Following the update, council voted to begin drawing up papers for a minimum 10-year lease for the Pipe Shop at the Shipyards. The lease is conditional upon the museum securing the capital and operating finances it needs and council's final approval.
In the meantime, the City of North Vancouver has partnered with Lonsdale Quay Management to rent out the stately industrial building for special events like corporate parties and weddings.
