Building Phase 1
Become a Part of Firefighting History
Preserving the Past for the Future
Proposal for a Firefighters Heritage Center
(Excerpt
from a Document distributed Oct '95)
A proposed location for a museum must be selected by the Society. Such a location should be relatively near other museums and points of interest to the general public and visitors in our City. We must now make the choice and commitment to proceed with a final goal for a museum.
There are many areas that must be addressed and we must start from a point were we can get the project off and running. Our museum should produce revenue that will maintain the museum and not become a burden to the taxpayer or to the Government. The museum should captivate the audience, from the time they first walk in the door, until the time they leave.
A hands-on environment will help visitors to better understand the workings of old and new ways of firefighters and their equipment. We must also consider other means of revenue which could draw various organizations to our facility.
Depending on the size of the building, our building could accommodate
meeting / boardrooms, office space or even a high-class restaurant. A
Pensioners Meeting room and drop in center will be designed into the building.
Location
Many old fire halls have been investigated for a location. There have been many drawbacks, based on availability and space required. They are either too small with room for only two trucks, or occupied by various companies with long leases.
As proven in the past, museums do not survive in the downtown area. Parking is one of the main factors and room for expansion is another. Warehouses are not the most convenient places to accommodate a museum, as they are mostly located in industrial parts of the City.
A museum or tourist attraction must be fairly central and located within reach of the public. With this in mind, we must consider our existing options.
At this time, we have a trailer located on the parking lot next to #20 Fire Hall at Richard Road & Sini Avenue SW. Through an agreement with ATCO Industries, this location was given to our Society for use until the year 2000, at this time, ATCO's lease will mature.
We should take this location into consideration as a piece of property that could accommodate a Fire Museum.
Here is a list of factors to consider as to why this location could fit our
needs.
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1 |
The lot is now in use as a parking lot for ATCO employees. ATCO could still use the lot for parking after the museum is built. |
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2 |
A portion is occupied by the Firefighters Museum Society, that being, the northwest corner of the lot with our trailer. |
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3 |
We have already invested money into power and telephone lines to this location. An expense that will be upgraded but a credit to installation charges. |
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4 |
The museum would be located next to a working fire hall. |
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Square footage of the property is 90,000 sq. Ft. (300 x 300 feet.) |
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6 |
The City owns the property, as we know it at this time. We could approach the City to acquire this property. |
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7 |
A meeting with the Southern Corporation, to establish a museum at this location may be in our favour, due to our excellent public relations work with our involvement. |
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8 |
Now, would be the time to act, before any future plans are put in place after ATCO vacates the land. (Note: this is only assuming that this will take place.) |
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9 |
The lot in question is large enough to accommodate our needs. |
Location in Respect to Other
Museums and Attractions
Our museum would enhance other museums generally located within driving distance of one another.
The Navy Museum is located at 17 Avenue & 24th Street SW or 17th Avenue & Crowchild Trail SW. A five to seven minute drive from there to approximately 40th Avenue & Crowchild Trail SW puts you in line with the Museum of the Regiments. This would then bring you to the proposed Firefighters Museum of Calgary at Richard Road & Sini Avenue SW or 50th Avenue & Richard Road Behind ATCO. which is approximately five minutes away from the previous mentioned museum, Heritage Park would be the next point of interest for tourists alike, and that is another 10 to 12 minutes away.
We would also be located near a major roadway for travelling tourists that are heading west to Banff and other destinations.
Many touring firefighters have stopped at #20 Fire Hall to see our apparatus (present) and have asked if we have a museum close by.
Access to this location has good potential and is not hard to find.
Building Design
The exterior of the building should compliment the existing fire hall next door, i.e. #20 Station or a replica of Old #1 Station with a larger floor area to accommodate apparatus at the rear of the structure.
A two-story structure would give us an upper floor for boardrooms and an open walkway around the perimeter to look down onto the apparatus floor. The second floor would also contain space to exhibit pictures and smaller artifacts in showcases, etc. Office space would be limited to the main floor area at the front of the building.
To properly display equipment and apparatus, it will take a building of adequate size to accommodate what the Society has accumulated thus far, approximately 8,000 square feet.
Our compliment of apparatus, consists of three Pumpers, three aerials, one hose tender (all motorized) and numerous hose and chemical carts. There are also three other apparatus we could consider, that is, Local 255' Pumper, hose tender and clown truck. Space will play a major factor in the building, so we should keep in mind the addition of other apparatus and artifacts in the future.
There are many more details involved with the structure than size, such as
skylighting, apparatus floor thickness due to weight of apparatus, mechanical
and restoration shop etc. These items will all come under the architect's
design.
Funding
The question at hand is where and how do we create funding? In the past, the Museum Society sold T-shirts and membership dues for a dollar per person. Income was very limited.
Today we sell framed pictures, pins, hats, T-shirts, miniature axes, nozzles and license plates. These items create a general fund for day-to-day operations, operations that cannot be paid for out of our lottery fund.
The lottery fund covers such items as office supplies, trailer maintenance, apparatus purchasing and restoration of artifacts. The costs covered by the lottery do not allow enough money to added to our building fund.
With $45,000.00 dollars in long term deposits and another $61,000.00 in
donations towards our building fund alone, we must create and solicit more
funds on a regular basis if we are to reach our goal.
Application for Corporate
Funding
(We have brought on board, Assiniboine Consulting, and are proceeding with applications to raise seed funding for an attractive adoption by Corporate sponsors.)
We must have the following goals completed and in place before the above
mentioned funding can be put into play.
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1 |
Property & location (continually being investigated.) |
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Building design. (an exterior concept has been architecturally designed) |
If you would like to add to this draft or have any ideas, please submit them to:
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Frank Silliker 252-0518. |
All ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance,
Frank Silliker
President
Firefighters Museum Society - Calgary
Make gift giving unique and
easy
The purchase price of $25.00 will have your
name inscribed on a BRASS PLAQUE that will be placed on the walls of the future
'Firefighters Museum - Heritage Center'. This distinctive building, to be built
in Calgary, will house apparatus and artifacts from a by-gone era and include
up-to-date displays. Buy one for yourself and your spouse, a friend, relative
or employee.
Brass plaques are purchases, and as such, are
not considered a donation. Donations of $20.00 or more, are issued a
tax-deductible receipt and are available from any of the Society Executive.
Registered Society # 503632277
Look
for the Firefighters Museum Society at various events.
For
further information call: (403) 246-3322
Firefighters Museum Society ©
1997, All rights reserved.