Museum Updates

There were two announcements recently which will affect our local museums:

1. The Canadian Memorial Naval Trust announced its plans to spearhead the development of the "Battle of the Atlantic Place" which it is planning to open in 2017. The museum will be built on a platform on the waterfront next to the Maritime Museum and will incorporate the HMCS Sackville which is already docked alongside that Museum. The project is currently expected to cost up to $205 million and is intended to help the public learn more about Canada's role in WWII and the Naval war in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the North Atlantic which are often overlooked parts of this contribution. A complete article on the news conference can be found on the Herald's website.

2. The Dartmouth Heritage Museums plans to take of the old city hall at 90 Alderney Dr have hit a road block with the City's decision that the structure is unfit as a museum. The council's review found that attempts to upgrade it to be more suitable would cost in the ball park of $5 million to $8 million with a nearly $400,000 a year operation cost after that. The idea of the DHM obtaining the building was proposed in 2008. The DHM is currently working to change the City's mind.  ***Update: Though the old Dartmouth City Hall is off the table as a museum the HRM has decided to sell off the building and to use the proceeds to fund the construction of a proper museum for the DHM in downtown Dartmouth.***