Municipality to enter into new lease agreement for the Olde Gaol Museum

During the Committee of the Whole meeting on March 19, Kawartha Lakes Council received the staff recommendation that the municipality support the Victoria County Historical Society by creating a new lease agreement for the 2019 occupation of the Olde Gaol Museum.

The municipality of Kawartha Lakes owns the Olde Gaol Museum in Lindsay, which is currently operating as a historical building and leased to the Victoria County Historical Society. In 2018, the Society came forward to Council asking for financial support to pay various utility bills. Council agreed to provide support to the Society and asked that the Society report back in 2019 with a Business Plan and Operating Model to help guide a new lease agreement that will relieve some financial burden from the organization. The new lease agreement will create a more sustainable historical centre.

As the municipality has done for other cultural organizations within Kawartha Lakes, staff have recommended to Council that the municipality pay the utility bills of the Museum in order to ensure that the Society will have enough funds to curate the Museum and collection. These costs add up to $10,000 including hydro utility payments, water utility payments and lawn and parking lot maintenance. The Museum Board confirmed that they ended 2018 in a small surplus, due to the support of community donors.

To learn more about the Olde Gaol Museum visit their website.