Simcoe County Museum closer to unveiling hidden history with proposed expansion

Staff with the Simcoe County Museum is one step closer to building onto the existing building to allow historical items currently stowed away to be showcased.

On Tuesday, museum staff presented architectural designs and plans to County council while seeking permission to build a 9,300-square-foot expansion.

County Warden Basil Clarke called the expansion plans "long overdue."

"I think it's been on the books since 1980," he said. "This will give a chance to really showcase what people have donated and what the museum has acquired over the years. So council has approved it here at the committee of the whole, but it still has to be ratified by council but they understand the importance of this venue and showcasing our past."

Museum staff said only about half of its 30,000 items are currently on display because of spacing issues, with the rest piled high to the rafters in a storage building.

Items are piled in storage at the Simcoe County Museum on Tues., June 13, 2023. (CTV News/Rob Cooper)

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Emmitt Fleury was visiting the museum and said recognizing the history is "extremely important.

"And recognizing the techniques that could even be used today," Fleury added.

The potential expansion would also allow the museum to explore revenue-making opportunities.

"Eventually, we can look at things like opening a cafe on site or even a seasonal beer garden and offer wedding opportunities for people and corporate team building, so we're looking at all of those things over the next seven years," noted museum curator Kelly Swift Jones.

The proposed expansion will go before County council for a vote in two weeks.

If it gets the green light, construction could begin in the spring of 2024, with a completion date of sometime in 2026.