King Township Museum Strategic Plan

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

King Township Museum

Strategic Business Plan

B e v e r l y D y w a n D e s i g n i n T h r e e D i m e n s i o n s

C h r i s t i n e L o c k e t t A s s o c i a t e s

Beverly Dywan Design in Three Dimensions

Christine Lockett Associates King Township Strategic Business Plan

September 17, 2013 2

Mayor and Council, Township of King

2075 King Road

King City

Ontario L7B 1L6

17 September 2013

Dear Ms Fry

We are happy to submit the Strategic Business Plan 2013 – 2018 for the King Township Museum. It has been a

great pleasure to work with you and the other members of the Steering Committee, and to gather the thoughtful

advice of the Mayor, Councillors and CAO, Township staff, stakeholders, and community members who participated in

the strategic planning process.

You are about to enter into an exciting phase of further stakeholders consultation and hope that this document is a valuable guide.

Yours sincerely

Beverly Dywan, MDes Christine Lockett , MMSt

Design in Three Dimensions Christine Lockett Associates




Acknowledgements The consultants would like to thank all those who participated in the process of preparing the Strategic Business Plan for King Township Museum. In addition to the individuals noted below, we would also particularly like to thank all community members who took the time to participate in the community Museum Visioning meeting. Virginia Atkins, Past President, King Township Historical Society; Board member King Township Public Library

Paul Calandra, Member of Parliament, Oak Ridges – Markham

Laura Campbell, Supervisor, Community Engagement, Corporation of the Township of King

Bill Cober, Councillor, Ward 4, King Township

Garry Conway, Director, Laskay Hall

Judy Craig, Director, Arts Society King

Gordon Craig, Library Board, Cold Creek Stewardship

Bob Peavoy, Vice Chair, Museum Board

Louise DiIorio, Co-chair, Archives, Arts Society King;;

Rhonda Donley, Assistant Conservation Biologist, Nature Conservancy

Bert Duclos, Chair, Museum Board

Avia Eek, Councillor, Ward 6, King Township

Chris Fasciano, Director, Parks, Recreation and Culture, Corporation of the Township of King

Shelley Falconer, Vice Chair, King Township Heritage Committee

Kathleen Fry, Museum Curator, Parks, Recreation and Culture, Corporation of the Township of King

Peter Grandilli, Councillor, Ward 2, King Township

Alan Henderson, Co-chair, Laskay Hall

Amanda Hicks, Supervisor, Recreation, Corporation of the Township of King

Peter Iaboni, Chairman, King Township Municipal Heritage Committee

Sue Iaboni, Vice President, Arts Society King

Jeff Laidlaw, former Council member, former Museum board member

Ed Millar, Secretary, King Township Historical Society

Cleve Mortelliti, Councillor, Ward 1, King Township

Rona O’Banion, Chief Executive Officer, King Township Public Library

Linda Pabst, Councillor, Ward 3, King Township

Steve Pellegrini, Mayor, King Township

Elsa Ann Pickard, Member, Museum Board; Chair, Archives Committee

Susan Plamondon, Chief Administrative Officer, King Township

Maureen Richardson, Secretary, King Chamber of Commerce

Elaine Robertson, former Heritage King Member; Programs Chair King Township Historical Society, York Pioneer member (former president)

Bill Salter, Treasurer, King Township Historical Society

Debbie Schaefer, Councillor, Ward 5, King Township

Jeff Schmidt, Director of Finance and Treasurer, the Corporation of the Township of King

Rick Sikorski, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Geoff Simpson, President, Arts Society King

Adina Smolcic, Owner/Director Nurture U Yoga

Jamie Smyth, Economic Development Officer, the Corporation of the Township of King

Jane Underhill, Retired Councillor




CONSULTANTS

CHRISTINE LOCKETT/

CHRISTINE LOCKETT ASSOCIATES

The principal of Christine Lockett Associates, Christine consults

with museums, galleries, community centres, and start-ups,

offering a full range of integrated services from feasibility

studies through strategic planning and interpretive planning.

Christine holds a Master’s Degree in Museums Studies and has

international experience at the senior management level. Her

particular expertise is in creating strategies for museums to

engage with audiences, stakeholders, and funders to encourage

participation and maintain financial sustainability.

BEVERLY DYWAN/

DESIGN IN THREE DIMENSIONS

Beverly Dywan has been in the exhibit design business for 29

years, beginning as a senior exhibit designer in 1984 the Royal

Ontario Museum, and 23 years running an independent exhibit

design firm “Design in Three Dimensions”. Bev then worked as a

design and strategy consultant with museums in Canada,

Kentucky, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas, Western Virginia, North

Dakota, Florida, New York and Hong Kong.

Her consulting evolves and grows with experience- including

use of her Master’s Degree in Strategic Foresight and

Innovation. Her expertise is in creative problem solving, cultural

planning and marketing, and realizing insights for issues

through foresight strategies and trends analysis.




Executive summary

This report is the summary of many meetings from stakeholders and citizens in the King Township community, as well as research from similarly sized and positioned museum institutions in southern Ontario.

The purpose of a strategic business plan is to provide a roadmap with actionable goals for exhibitions, programs, organizational structure, and enhancements to the site and facility.

King Township Museum provides an exciting venue for a physical and conceptual gateway to King. As a potential cultural hub, it can be a tool to express the narratives that are the core of King Township’s identity.

With three buildings, and potential for more in the future, a great location and ample outdoor space for programming, the King Township Museum is poised to present the face of King’s heritage and culture.

Contained within this report are actions that can motivate change and excellence in the relaying and presentation of King Township’s unique history and relevance.

Museums are evolving in their relationship so their communities. The King Township Museum is perfectly positioned to ride this new wave of connectivity and relevance to its growing locales. Findings in this document outline how this evolution in offering sustainable engagement can be implemented while moving forward in lockstep with the change experienced in the community.

Table of contents

pg

6 The Strategic Business Plan:

Background and Process

7. Steering Committee in consultation process

8 Historical Context

Continuity with other Planning

Documents

9. Economic Development Strategy

10 Relevant Museum Trends

11. Overarching Themes from the Consultations

12 Mission and Vision

13 Goals

14 A narrative on goals

Community Advisory Group

15 Volunteers

16 Branding and Marketing: a central

expression of the King Township identity

17 Benefits of the King Township Museum

as a Cultural Hub

18 Temporary Exhibits, Public Programming

and Programming Partnerships

19 School Programming

Interpretive Theming

20 Access

Hours of Operation

21 Program Plan for Museum’s spaces

22 Sustainable revenue generation

23 Implementing the Strategic Plan

24 Summary

Appendix l: Goals, with recommendations

Appendix ll: Sources for Government Grants

Appendix lll: Literature Cited

Appendix IV: Comparable Museums




1

The Strategic Business Plan: Background and Process

The Township of King is going through a period of considerable

residential and commercial growth which brings new challenges

to the provision and delivery of infrastructure and services. In April of

2012 the Township Council endorsed an Integrated Community

Sustainability Plan.

The Plan outlines a number of priorities to ensure that the Township

continues to create a sustainable community, several of which relate to

the provision of cultural services. In 2013, the Township’s Department

of Parks, Recreation and Culture announced an update to their Master

Plan, which in turn had implications for the future directions of King

Township Museum (KTM). Additionally, the Fawcett Bequest of

$400,000.00 to the King Township Historical Society (KTHS) for the

enhancement of the KTM was received. The foundational documents,

together with the bequest and an addition of about 750 square feet of

new space created in partnership with a developer, meant that a

Strategic Business Plan for the Museum was timely. A request by the

Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport during their 2010

assessment of KTM’s compliance with their Governance standard,

provided further impetus for the development of the strategic plan.

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In April of 2013 Beverly Dywan, Design in Three Dimensions and

Christine Lockett Associates, were engaged to assist in developing a

Strategic Business Plan. Requirements for the Plan were to be:

§ Responsive to the needs of Township of King residents and

other key stakeholders

§ Clear and implementable

§ Fiscally responsible in the context of Township financial

resources

This document is the summation of the planning process for the

Strategic Business Plan, which took place from May to August 2013.




We want you to show us how we can

make the King Township Museum

better for you!

Location:

King Township MuseumTuesday July 30, 7 pm

Visit our website for more info:KingTownshipmuseum.wordpress.com

GATHER YOUR THOUGHTS:

- would you be willing to helpthe Museum?

-should the Museum be a tourist destination? what would that mean?

- how can we make the Township of King Museum

more relevant to our communities?

- do you know about King Township culture or heritage?

Museum Visioning sessionMuseum Visioning session

Steering Committee in the consultation process

This plan was developed in consultation with a

Steering Committee for the project:

Mr Chris Fasciano, Director - Parks, Recreation and Culture

Ms Laura Campbell, Supervisor, Community Engagement

Ms Kathleen Fry, Museum Curator

Ms Amanda Hicks, Supervisor, Recreation

In addition to meetings with the Steering Committee, the

process included four meetings with stakeholder groups, to

help gain input and insights. The input began with a focused

meeting with the King Township Historical Society, which

was followed by a meeting with more than twenty

representatives of cultural organizations in the Township.

We then met to gather the viewpoints of senior members of

Tourism staff of the Township about the KTM, its future

directions, and the governmental and financial context in

which the Museum operates. The attendees included

representatives of the Department of Parks, Recreation and

Culture; the Finance Department; the Economic

Development Officer; and the Public Library. During this

period, telephone interviews were conducted with the Mayor

and all Township Councillors. For the final consultation, the

community was invited to a meeting to “Envision the Future

of the King Township Museum”. A dedicated website to

publicize the event was created, and the event was added to

the King Community calendar, posted in libraries, post

offices and community bulletin boards.




1

Historical Context

The Museum is housed in the Old

Kinghorn School SS #23 built in 1861 as

a one room schoolhouse with two

additional rooms built in the 1960s. In

1978 the school was purchased by the

Township of King and placed under the

care of the King Township Historical

Society. Made up of dedicated

volunteers and local residents, the

Historical Society started the Museum

in 1979 and officially opened to the

public in 1982. For 20 years the Society

ran programs and events and began

the collection and cataloguing of local

artifacts ranging from household items

to tools, books, clothing, and

agricultural equipment.

Through fundraising efforts and

volunteer commitment, the King

Railway Station (c. 1852- known as

Ontario’s oldest surviving railway

station) and was moved to the

museum site in 1989 and restored.

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The third historical building on the

Museum site is the King Christian

Church. The Church was built in 1851 at

Kettleby Road and Jane Street by

members of the Children of Peace

congregation, a Quaker sect who built

the Sharon Temple. The Church was

relocated to the Museum site in 1982.

In 2001, responsibility for managing and

funding the Museum was transferred

from the King Township Historical

Society to the Township. Two years

ago, a yet to be utilized 750 sq ft.

programming space was added to the

Museum structure in partnership with a

local developer.

Continuity with other Planning

Documents

Three recently written municipal

planning documents have provided the

overall direction and context for the

Strategic Business Plan. The

overarching inspirational directives that

they provide are summarized below and

their influence on recommendations in

specific areas of Museum operations are

referred to in subsequent sections of

this report.

King Township’s Integrated Community

Sustainability Plan (referred to as The

Plan) of 2012 is an important

foundational document, which provided

vital context and priorities for

developing the KTM Strategic Business

Plan. The Plan establishes that

sustainability in the Township of King

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has four pillars: economic, environmental, socio-

cultural and financial, which require balancing in

order to create a strong foundation. Within the

socio-cultural pillar, this priority is highlighted

for the Heritage theme:

“Celebrate, promote and maintain

King Township’s cultural identity.”

The Plan also notes that heritage conservation

can be economically competitive, leading to

higher property values, more jobs, and

revitalized neighbourhoods.




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Continuity cont.

Specifically for the KTM, the Plan established

an important aspiration, which has guided the

preparation of the Strategic Business Plan:

There are important opportunities to work

with, expand, and build on the Museum’s role

in the community, making it a

centre for cultural interpretation

within the Township

and a destination for both

residents and visitors.

The Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan

Update of 2013 follows through on The Plan’s

overall priorities, with draft recommendations

for Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy.

Of particular significance is the direction

given for the KTM’s Strategic Business Plan:

…the Museum should be evaluated for

its ability to function in a greater

capacity as an arts and cultural hub for

the Township.. .accommodating a

greater degree of municipal and

community-based arts, cultural and

heritage programming, and diversifying

the Museum’s current focus beyond

historical interpretation to possibly

expanding into visual, performing

and/or literary arts.

2

Economic Development Strategy

Similarly, the new King Economic

Development Strategy of 2013 will be

a valuable reference point for KTM’s

plans for the future. The

Economic Development Strategy

recognizes “unique cultural and

recreational assets” as one of the

strengths of the Township, placing the

promotion and enhancement of the

Township’s cultural, heritage and

recreational resources within the high

level goal of “A Strong, Innovative

Rural Brand”. The action items under

this goal include developing a Cultural

Plan and Cultural Asset Map. KTM can

be a leading participant in both these

initiatives, using its Strategic Business

Plan to maximize the impact of their

contribution. The Museum can also

participate in the proposed Business

Improvement Areas for each village,

providing expertise that will help to

promote the heritage features and

characteristics that will appeal to visitors.




Relevant Museum Trends

To contextualize the recommendations within this report, we offer this simplified analysis of current

trends seen in museums as an evolution offered by technological and sociocultural change:

Curation from everywhere

• Since the growth of social media, museums have seen the advent of the public adding their

perspectives to content interpretation.

A great benefit of ‘crowd sourced’ curation is the diversity of storytelling and personalized content

that can bring life to objects and images.

Experience is the new currency

• Museums offer engagement opportunities to create more visceral options for learning

• Museums are moving outside their walls and into communities to bring their expertise outward, and

share in the public’s connections to concepts

Community cultural hubs

• Museums have become the locus for public interaction with one another, as social networking serves to publicize

events and opinions

• Live interaction balances the virtual world people engage in for much of their day

• Comfortable surroundings in museums take a page from coffee shops and other retail environments to ‘normalize’

the feel of the museum

• The public need access to the Museum via the internet to create

an iteration of information for planning or research

BYOD (Bring your own Device)

• Museums provide content streams; visitors provide their own

smart technology device for access

• Museums no longer invest in technology, but continue to

provide their strong suit in trustworthy information generation




1

Overarching Themes to Emerge from

the Consultation Process

Residents and Township staff

participated in the consultation process

with enthusiasm and thoughtful

feedback. They generated many ideas in

support of the Museum and its future,

grounding their ideas in their

understanding of the community

dynamics of the Township and its limited

financial resources. The main themes and

ideas to emerge from those discussions

are summarized here and their

implications for the strategic directions

of the Museum are outlined in the

following narrative and

recommendations.

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Characteristics of the community - Beautiful natural environment, close to

the city

- Commuting to work or to amenities

elsewhere creates limited time for other

activities

- New people are moving in with

enthusiasm, wanting to be involved: how

can new residents be engaged?

- Overall, the population is expected to

grow, but slowly, compared to

surrounding municipalities

- Growing seniors demographic is

underserved, as are youth

- Lack of public transportation, population

density is low; Highway 400 divides the

Township; villages can be insular

- King Township is a “front porch

community”

Frequently mentioned themes & priorities

• Make the Museum a cultural hub

(community connector) and a tourist

attraction

• Increase interaction among and

between community groups and the

museum

• Improve access to the museum

site, including trails and compliance with

AODA

- Need clarity about access to the

Fawcett Bequest based on agreed

community priorities; engage Historical

Society

- Increase staff and volunteers

- Intensify marketing and publicity

and create more awareness of the

Museum, use social media

- Increase engagement with schools

- Consider space needs for the

Township Archives and Arts Society King;

and need for an art centre

- Expand the themes covered by

the Museum to include nature, geology,

agriculture, sports, immigrants, and

change exhibits more frequently

- Refurbish the school, church and

train station and add artifacts

- Bring Laskay Hall to the site

- Make the grounds more attractive

- Avoid confusion between heritage

activities and art gallery activities

- Create a “Friends of the Museum”

group, have more Board members

- More opportunities for dynamic

interactive learning and activities for kids

and families; add drop-in coffee area

- More events such as concerts,

lectures, workshops, Antiques Roadshow,

cooking and ploughing demonstrations

- Rent out facilities




Mission Statement

A mission statement is a statement of

purpose that looks outwards, and

answers questions such as: why do we do

what we do, for whom do we do these

things, and what impact do we hope to

have in our community.

The new mission statement for consideration by Council, is

“The King Township Museum

is a vibrant gathering place

that meets the community’s

historical, cultural and

educational needs. We

connect the rich heritage of

King Township’s distinct

past to our dynamic future,

through engaging programs,

exhibits, and events.”

Vision

The vision of an organization is

aspirational. It looks forward,

outlining where the organization

wants to be in the long term and

focuses on the positive change a

museum hopes and believes is

possible for the community it

serves.

The vision statement for consideration by Council, is

“We aspire to shape

communities by

celebrating creativity,

learning and collaboration,

and by understanding and

celebrating our heritage.”

Mission and Vision

In addition to the consultation process, the context for the Strategic

Business Plan was established via a review of pertinent

commissioned Township studies, including the Sustainability Plan

and the Economic Development Strategy, cultural tourism

references, benchmarking data for museums, and by collecting

information from comparable museums in Ontario about their

resources, programming, and current challenges.

A revised mission statement, a vision statement, and six ‘actionable-

within-five-years’ goals for KTM were developed by the Steering

Committee as the culmination of the strategic planning process.

These were realized after examining best practices for mission and

vision statements from similar museums in North America.




Goals

Goals are statements of targeted

actions, developed in light of the

Mission and Vision statements and in

the context of the Strategic Business

Plan. Insofar as the KTM can

become a key cultural magnet for

King, it can also provide a place

whereby the economic stimulus of

an effectively ‘branded’ township

finds a locus. The goals are written in

this framework, to drive enhanced

publicity and use of the KTM.

Goals

Six strategic goals for the King Township Museum were

determined by the Steering Committee for the period 2013 to 2018.

They are:

1 . Empower a Community Museum Board to leverage their strengths to support the

Museum’s mission, vision, and strategic plan

2. Build volunteer engagement

3. Enhance marketing

4. Enhance the functionality and interpretat ion at site (upgraded utilit ies, artifacts

and interpretation in the buildings)

5. To increase accessibility to the physical site (bike path, sidewalks, turning lane,

trail , open the buildings, servicing)

6. To increase the revenue stream of the Museum, including increased attendance

over the next two years to 5000 visitors annually




1

A narrative on KTM goals

In striving to become a sustainable centre

for cultural interpretation within the

Township and a destination for both

residents and visitors, many aspects of

the KTM’s current operations and site are

considered here.

When the Museum was founded it was funded

and managed by a volunteer Board of the King

Township Historical Society. The Township has full

operating responsibility for the Museum, and staff

report to the Parks, Recreation and Culture

Department, who report to Township Council.

The former Council-appointed Board is moving

towards a Community Museum Board as a

strategy to enable more flexibility in recruiting

members and to allow the Board to be more self

sustaining.

As part of the Township’s approach to

sustainability, the Department of Parks, Recreation

and Culture Master Plan Update recommends that

the roles and responsibilities of volunteer boards

are standardized, with a move towards a “Friends

of” model. To bring this approach into action at

the Museum, the KTM should re-develop the

current museum Board of Management as

established with by-law 2004(38), to

create a Community Museum Board,

establishing well-defined terms of

Examples of potential subcommittees:

Annual events

Fundraising

Volunteer Recruitment

Marketing and Publicity

Social Media

Landscaping and Gardens

“Friends of” [the schoolhouse, church, railway

station]

Audience Engagement [youth, seniors, Moms

and tots, newcomers etc]

Ecology/Environment

2

reference and time-specific, actionable

projects to undertake.

This process will encompass consultation with

Township staff (Parks, Recreation and Culture,

Township Clerk) in addition to the current Museum

Board to ensure the direction and Terms of Reference

are reflective of the needs of the Museum and the

community.

Recruitment for the Community Museum

Board

A strong initiative to recruit additional

Community Museum Board members from a

wide cross-section of King Township

residents will be a key driver of success.

Roles to consider for an effective Group are:

1. Leadership- which is essential in recruiting

other skills, and helpful in other

Community Museum Board members

cultivating good relationships

2. Fundraising- to guide campaigns- which

may then be done by all Community

Museum Board members, who have

relationships with King to various parts of

the community

3. Technical skills- connecting to trades, local

government for permits, and the

community of construction and trades-

skilled people who may be able to donate

‘services in kind’

4. Marketing- to bring the awareness of the

KTM to the forefront, scaffolding expertise

brought by media, digital literacy and

connections to key community figures

5. Volunteer recruitment- a key role to

overview the requirements for support

within the programs and other activities.

6. Liaison with other organizations-

particularly ASK, the King Township

3

Historical Society, tourism organizations,

The YRDSB Heritage Schoolhouse

museum, Library Archives and outdoors

and equestrian groups or individuals

7. Scheduling- a Community Museum

Board member who can effectively

schedule (including make phone calls,

emails and follow ups) meetings, dates

and deadlines for events, project

benchmarks and locations, and field

trips to other museums. Recruiting Community Museum Board

members should be an open and transparent

process, with a public application process

included.

Following the initial application and

recruiting process in 2014, the newly formed

group or Board would hold an internal

election to construct an executive Board,

with a 1-2 year term period. This will be

determined as a part of the consultation

process.

This process would then be subsequently

completed again in the appropriate interval.

Community Museum Board

Goal 1) To empower the Community

Advisory Group to leverage their

strengths to support the Museum’s

Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan




1

The latest data on volunteers in arts

and culture organizations in Canada

(Volunteers and Donors in Arts and

Culture Organizations in Canada in

2010, Hill Strategies) show that in

2010, 764,000 peopled volunteered

97 million hours, valued at nearly $1.6

billion. On average, arts and culture

volunteers dedicated 127 annual

hours – more than any other type of

organization. The primary

motivation for arts and culture

volunteers is to make a difference to

their community.

The King Township Museum began

as an entirely volunteer-run

organization. The Museum now has

one full time staff member and one

casual staff member and currently

enjoys the valuable help of four

regular volunteers who assist the

Museum curator with collections

management and exhibits. In

addition, 12 to 15 volunteers help

with special events. The current

Board members are also volunteers.

As the KTM moves towards being a

community hub with longer opening

hours requiring more active

programming, the role of

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volunteers in achieving these

initiatives in an economically

sustainable manner is central.

For example, to maintain current

opening hours and programming

activities at the Orillia Museum of Art

and History there are currently about

80 volunteers (including the Board

and subcommittees). At the

Whitchurch Stouffville Museum and

Community Centre there were 92

volunteers in 2012, and at the Georgina

Pioneer Village and Archives in

Keswick there are about 50 to 60

active volunteers. At some sites,

volunteer numbers can vary

considerably according to seasonal

opening hours. For example, at the

Grey Roots Museum there are about 18

volunteers year round with more than

a hundred volunteers in the summer

months when the Moreston Heritage

Village is open. In all these instances it

is important to note that there are

more staff resources to manage

volunteer participation than currently

at the KTM.

Recruiting more volunteers for the

KTM may be challenging, considering

that the relatively small population of

the Township is spread among small

villages and there are many other

community organizations competing

for volunteer hours. It is essential that

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the KTM participate in the department of

Parks, Recreation and Culture’s proposed

Volunteer Strategy to help with the

recruitment and retention of volunteers.

This model is followed by Doon Pioneer Park

and Waterloo Region Museum who recruit

through the Volunteer Action Centre of

Kitchener Waterloo. The recommended

Community Museum Board

subcommittee for Volunteer

Recruitment will also be an important

asset for KTM.

Volunteers also can be recruited through

advertising in local newspapers and by

providing information in the Museum’s

section of the Township’s website. Other

museums use different means of

recruitment. For example, at the Markham

Museum visitors can take a “Volunteering at

Markham Museum” business card which

includes a QR code linking to the volunteer

recruitment section of the Museum’s

website. Information from the Ontario

Museum Association’s 2011 conference

Bridging the Gap: Enriching the Volunteer

Experience to Building a Better Future for

our Communities, provides further advice on

how to attract volunteers.

Volunteers

Goal 2) To build volunteer engagement




1

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The King Township Museum has great

potential for providing a gateway to King

Township’s beauty, eclecticism, unique

history and, strongly, its heritage.

King Township’s heritage was built on the

shoulders of First Nations people,

explorers, soldiers, priests, and farmers.

Unbroken forests were tamed, mills built,

settlements created and local hamlets

developed.

The formation of King Township owes

much to its relationship with nature- the

richness of the Holland Marsh, scattered

waterways and lakes, the Oak Ridges

Moraine and the many varieties of farms.

Development in King has been less rushed

than in neighbouring Vaughan, Richmond

Hill and Aurora. The development that has

been occuring has been under guidelines

set out by Council, and this determinant

has created a guided increase in

infrastructure, to encourage careful

change.

3

Development guidelines for the Oak Ridges

Moraine have allowed a place of natural

beauty to co-exist with agriculture,

equestrian farms and residential

developments and infrastructure

enhancements are providing investment

readiness.

The ‘brand’ of a location provides a

framework within which the tourism and

cultural sector can effectively sit; can

provide planning guidelines, can be effective

for advertising and can provide the identity

that helps to guide transactions with other

potential economic drivers.

King’s Economic Development Strategy, with

key findings and major themes analysis by

Miller Dickinson Blais, has recommendations

to support growth in King. Key points

include “telling King’s story”, and the KTM

provides an excellent locus for this. The

fascinating stories of First Nations and the

later development of King, with hard work

and Quaker values, extends to the current

rural strengths of values-driven change.

Branding and Marketing: a central

expression of the King Township identity

Goal 3) To enhance marketing




1

Branding and Marketing cont.

MDB also suggests that marketing and

promotion is an important step to

profile the local assets of King. Our

suggestion, supported by the

many voices contr ibuting to

enhancement of the KTM is that

dedicated marketing is an

important step to create

awareness and a lure to the KTM

as a preferred destination.

One can slow down in King, this is a key

differentiator. The natural environment,

the rural feel and the quality of life that

are embraced by this are King’s brand,

and this brand can be expressed and

furthered with the support of the

Museum, its location and assets as a

cultural hub.

2

Benefits of The King Township Museum

as a Cultural Hub

A great benefit of King’s location is that it

is “the closest country to the city”. This

phrase was coined at one of the

stakeholder sessions, and resonates

strongly.

The qualities of culture as part of King’s

identity, with its pace reflecting the

realities of human comfort offer many

benefits:

1 . Social Capital (connections to social

networks) offers:

• Participation

-Opportunities to participate in culture

and community life

• Identity

-Pride in, attachment to, and

understanding of King Township

• Inclusion

-Meeting the particular opportunities to

participate in culture and community life

• Democratic life

-Opportunities for civic engagement, and

stewardship of King’s values

2. Human Capital - offers:

• Improved personal prospects

- Opportunities to learn and develop

talents, creativity and skills

• Diversifying populace and enhancing

creative problem solving personally and

collectively

• Creative talent in the knowledge

economy- developing the talent of those

working in culture and heritage

enhances job opportunities in this sector

3. Excellence

Supporting high achievement in culture,

heritage and engagement

helps with Economic Prosperity through:

• Creative economy

• Employment, trade and investment in

innovative and competitive enterprises in

culture and heritage

• Providing a magnet for talent and

investment

• Cultural, heritage, and sport offerings which

help King communities attract investment and

a skilled workforce

4. Tourism

Cultural and heritage and sport offerings

make King an attractive tourism destination

5. Enhanced well-being and quality of

l ife with

• Enrichment

• Experiences in culture and heritage that are

meaningful to local citizens and visitors, in

their diverse identities, enrich their quality of

life, and enhance the bonds of community

6.Choice

• Having access to a rich diversity of

experiences in culture and heritage

contributes to a high quality of life and sense

of purpose

7.Health

• Participation in culture and societal events

contributes to community well being and

general mental health, thus reducing costs of

other areas like health care, social benefits

and security costs




A common reason given for not

attending museums is – “they never

change, I can go another day”. A

program of temporary exhibits and

special events (already in operation at

KTM) is mandatory for dispelling this

notion and driving museum

attendance. At present, KTM

programs such as summer camps do

not have a dedicated space – the

historic school room is used. This

situation will be much improved in

early 2014, when the new program

space (currently in use as a sales office

for a local developer) is turned

over to KTM.

The new space provides for an

increased number of public events,

scheduled throughout the year and

targeted to different demographic

groups. Opportunities exist for

aligning the Museum’s programs with

priorities identified in the Parks,

Recreation and Culture Master Plan

Update such as after-school/youth

and older adults programming.

Archives and the Toronto Region

Conservation Authority to mount public

programming and temporary exhibitions.

The partnerships with Arts Society King and

the King Township Historical Society are of

particular importance as their mandates are

closely aligned to that of the KTM. These

partnerships provide ongoing opportunities to

involve partners’ members in KTM events and

programming or to host their activities in the

Museum facility. Once the Museum’s historic

school room has been restored, a new

partnership with the York Region District

School Board Heritage School House Museum

should be made a priority as part of increasing

the number of school group visits.

Established relationships with other

organizations like the King Township Library

need to be recognized. The ‘players’ may

change but valuable partnerships must

remain. New partnerships can also be

developed on a project-by-project basis to

align with the KTM’s expanded role as a

cultural hub and to reflect the community’s

interest in themes around agriculture, food,

sports, and the environment. When

considering topics for programs and exhibits,

the potential for partners should be identified

early in the process, using the Appendix D of

King Township’s Integrated Sustainability Plan

as a resource. Although partnerships may

take different forms depending on the aims of

each project, the roles and responsibilities of

the KTM and the partnering organization

should be articulated clearly from the outset

to ensure mutual benefit.

The temporary exhibitions program at

KTM includes both exhibits borrowed

from other museums (such as Voices of

the Town: Vaudeville from the

Peterborough Museum) and original

presentations such as A Golden Age of

Boat Building. However, there is no

dedicated temporary exhibit space in

the KTM facilities. The Main Gallery

doubles as a temporary exhibit space.

Two dedicated spaces for temporary

exhibits would greatly improve the

Museum’s capacity to mount temporary

exhibitions and encourage repeat

attendance. Exhibits could be

interchangeable with off-site

museum exhibit locations such as

libraries, municipal office, schools and

arenas.

Given the limited staff resources, KTM

will need to grow or continue their

productive partnerships Arts Society

King, and the KTHS, King Township

Public Library, the King Township

Temporary Exhibits, Public

Programming, and Programming

Partnerships

Goal 4) Enhance the functionality

and interpretation at the site




1

School Programming

Providing programming for school

students is at the heart of most

museums’ activities- a key indicator of

their educational value to their

communities. The KTM is part of this

tradition, offering curriculum-based

programming for grades 3 to 8, with two

programs differentiating KTM’s school

programs from others in neighbouring

regions: A Township Family and the

Rebellion of 1837, and Walter Rolling

(exploring the life and career of one of

Ontario’s earliest African-Canadian

educators). The KTM program about

Artifact Interpretation is a valuable tool

for attracting high school classes

studying inquiry-based learning using

primary sources (mandated in upcoming

provincial curriculum for social sciences).

Museums in North America, including

community museums in Ontario, are

facing challenges with maintaining

attendance from schools owing to

the high cost of bussing. One

response to this, which KTM and

many others have adopted, has been

to send museum teachers to visit

schools. Whitchurch Stouffville

Museum and Community Centre and

York Heritage Schoolhouse also send

educational kits to schools for use by

classroom educators.

The Georgina Pioneer Village and

Archives has had success recently with a

2

school program called Rise to Rebellion

1837, which is run with re-enactors and

attracts 400 to 600 students over two days.

At the Enoch Turner School House in

Toronto, a program Immigrants in Early

Modern Ontario is a bridge to the

contemporary experiences of today’s

immigrants to the city.

Owing to limited capacity, only one half of

the students in York Region are able to visit

The York Heritage Schoolhouse annually.

Once the KTM historic school room is

restored, it

in any one year. To take

advantage of this opportunity, the

capacity to call on casual teachers as

needed would need to be expanded with

the additional costs covered by an

increase in program fees.

Interpretive Theming

One of the Museum’s goals for the next five

years is to improve interpretation in the

historic buildings at the site.

3

Engaging information, accompanied by

relevant period artifacts, will greatly

enhance visitors’ experiences of the

schoolhouse, church and train station.

Moving on to other modes such as

downloadable AV tours, YouTube videos,

and online collections information are

other options as resources permit.

Adding artifacts and other content to

the historic buildings will mean that

security will need to be upgraded.

Many museums are enlisting volunteers

for technological help, creating synergies

with local teenagers and retirees alike.

The help of local re-enactor groups,

allows visitors to interact with live

interpreters – a popular interpretive

technique.

A frequently-mentioned suggestion

during a discussion of the Museum’s

brand at the Community Meeting was to

enhance or increase the range of the

Museum’s interpretive subject matter.

Community members are interested in

many subjects, including: a Walk of Fame

for well-known King Township residents,

a sports Hall of Fame, local artists,

agriculture, First Nations, geology,

genealogy, historic gardens, and local

endangered species. These themes align

well with the Township brand and

represent many possible topics for

temporary exhibits and public

programming with possibilities for strong

partnerships.




Currently the museum is accessed by car,

off busy King Rd.

To align with the Sustainability Plan, foot,

bicycle and enhanced car access

would create ease of approach.

Trails for pedestrians, cyclists and even

equestrians would support the museum’s

interest in increasing attendance, and

would facilitate rentals and tours, thus

greater revenue generation. AODA

legislation also asks for accessibilty for

people with disablities.

A ‘museum trail’ linking KTM to King City

would be the subject of both location

information panels and a donor

recognition opportunity.

1

Hours of Operation

The Museum’s current opening hours are

Monday to Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

and every other Wednesday to 7:00 pm.

The Museum is also open some weekends

and evenings for special events. During

the course of consultation meetings, a

change in opening hours with

enhanced programming, was

identified as a key factor in

increasing attendance to the

Museum.

There are three main models for museum

opening hours:

1. Large/mid-sized institutions:

•Open during the day 7 days a week,

•Closed only on major public holidays

[eg. December 25th ]

• Many open one evening a week with

programs targeted at young adults.

2. Small sites run almost entirely by

volunteers or with unheated heritage

buildings:

• May open only during summer

months and for specific events such as

Halloween (eg. Oakville’s Old Post,

Georgina Pioneer Village and Archives

in Keswick, Moreston Heritage Village

at Grey Roots Museum and Archive in

Owen Sound).

3: Vary opening hours

• during the course of the year, as is

done at two of the comparable sites

studied:

Orillia Museum of Art and History

Winter: Tuesday to Saturday 10 to 4

Summer: Monday to Saturday 10 to 4

2

Whitchurch Stouffville Museum and Community Centre

Winter: Monday to Friday 1 to 5

Summer: Wednesday to Sunday 10 to 5

The recommended option is to vary

opening hours during the course of the

year, with the Museum open on weekends.

To do this KTM can consider a number of options

for achieving weekend openings and implement

them on a pilot project basis during the first two

years of implementing the Strategic Business

Plan:

• close to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays (with summer camps only continuing to run on these days) so that staff member can work on weekends

• recruit volunteers to assist with programming on the weekends

• seek funding from the Fawcett Bequest to cover the costs of casual staff for weekend openings related to special exhibits or events

After two years of weekend openings, the effect

on attendance should be evaluated. The impact

of extra opening hours will likely be considerably

increased if simple programming such as hands-

on activities for families can be provided.

Marketing of the new hours and programming

will be essential to success.

Access

Goal 5) To increase physical accessibil ity

of the site




Art exhibits

Gallery space(general store)

Heritage exhibits

- including artifacts

Demonstration area

-spinning, sewing etc

Swap above with

storytelling

King Christian Church

Heritage/art exhibits


Concerts/events

/weddings

Theatrical

performances

King Railway Station

Heritage/art exhibits


Demonstration area

-model trains

Storytelling

Laskay Hall

Performances,

Events/lessons

- square dancing,

ballet, yoga

Film shoots

Artifact storage

Historic classroom

Immersive

school/history

experiences

Film shoots

Adults - ESL

- Art

- lectures

Greenhouse

Barn

Kinesthetic activities

- hay bales, rope swing

Domesticated

farm animals

(special event)

Concerts

Historic house

Contextualizes

artifacts

Food programming

Theatrical productions

New space

Art, related

- wall exhibits

Events - evening

- weekend

Camps - summer

- school

holiday

Temp exhibits

Art classes

Rental

Community

Family

Service clubs

Youth and senior

Events

Business

Political

Moms & tots

Intergenerational

Training

- volunteers

-Community Advisory

Future scenarios: new buildings

Program plan for Museum’s spaces




1

The main source of funding for the Museum’s

annual operating budget is derived from funds

granted by the Township. In addition, the

Museum receives a Community Museum

Operating Grant from the provincial government,

and generates revenue from program fees. A

grant to cover the cost of summer students is

received from the Federal government. These

sources are similar to many community museums

in Ontario.

As the KTM is further developed into a

community hub and tourist destination, the

potential will exist to diversify and increase the

proportion of the Museum’s self-generated

revenue sources in relation to revenues from the

Township. Some possible new sources of

revenue are:

• Increased attendance accompanied by

moderate admission fees: generating

higher attendance and charging admission

fees will rest on first making enhancements

to the existing site - discussed on page 20

Suggested future admission rates

Adults $5.00

Students/seniors $4.00

Children 7-12 $3.00

Family $12.00

Children under 6 free

Many museums have natural sites for photo opportunities. The KTM has great potential for enhancing its revenue stream through the use of its site, particularly after landscaping and built enhancements are put in place. Wedding photos, weddings, special events both inside and outside the museum are all drivers of revenue that will not create an interference with the more traditional use of the museum. Other offers for advertising photography locale, film set locations and backdrop for tourism promotion can be achieved for four season opportunities. The wedding industry is valued at $2b annually in Canada.

Weddings….

2

• Rental fees: current rental fees can be

increased with more marketing and

enhancements to indoor and outdoor spaces

discussed on page 22

• Fundraising: community museums in Ontario

are increasingly focussed on improving their

capacity in fundraising. Fundraising should

be a significant focus of an expanded

museum Community Museum Board, with

particular emphasis on the corporate

sector.

• Fawcett Bequest: this $400,000 bequest made to

the King Township Historical Society for

enhancements to the Museum is of vital

importance to the sustainability of the KTM,

particularly as the Museum works to extend

opening hours, amplify programming and

temporary exhibits, improve interpretation, and

increase marketing. Requests to the Fawcett

Bequest should be made in these areas for

both operating funds (including enhanced

staffing) and equipment costs.

• Government grants: provincial and federal

government grants are available for both capacity

building and specific projects. Grant programs are

listed in Appendix ll of this report

• Provide office space to community groups

such as Arts Society King in return for

either rent or volunteer hours in lieu of

rent

Sustainable revenue generation

Goal 6) To increase the revenue stream

of the museum and attendance.




Implementing the King Township

Museum Strategic Business Plan

A primary consideration for developing

the Strategic Business Plan has been to

make recommendations that are fiscally

responsible in the context of Township

financial resources. Importantly,

consultation with key stakeholders- the

community of King Township, cultural

organizations and leaders, the King

Township Historical Society and relevant

government staff was pursued and the

findings were integrated in this Strategic

Business Plan. In recognition of this input

and the constraints on the Township

budget, we suggest that the Strategic

Business Plan is undertaken in two

phases:

Phase One, fall 2013 to fall 2015

In the first two years of the Strategic

Business Plan implementation emphasis

should be placed on increasing the

capacity of the KTM to act as a cultural

hub and tourist destination. A vital part

of this early phase will be to realize the

full potential and honour the Fawcett

Bequest in support of Phase One

initiatives.

Increasing volunteer recruitment, with a

priority in the size and clarified mandate

of the Community Museum Board will

help to build and maintain momentum.

As part of the Community Museum

Board recruitment, early contacts can be

made for assessing future strategic

partnerships.

Other initiatives (including opening the

Museum on weekends, with family

programming available) will be key for the goal

of increasing attendance.

Also key to Phase One success will be moving

programming activities to the new

programming space, as soon as it is available.

With this new space, the pace of programming

can be enhanced. An additional advantage will

be that the School Room will be freed up for

more school visits, a strategy for increasing

attendance.

During Phase One, strategies can be developed

to integrate KTM further into the Department of

Parks, Recreation and Culture. To help KTM

function as a cultural hub, the Museum should

be an active participant in overall Township

initiatives such as the Volunteer Strategy, BIAs

for each village, enhancements to the Trail

system, development of an actively defined

Tourism strategy for the Township, and

enhanced use of social and digital media. Any

synergies that can allow the lone staff member

of the Museum to benefit from the larger

resources of the Township staff expertise will

heighten awareness and communications.

Also during Phase One, it will be essential to

analyze the priorities for enhancements to

the site. As noted in the actions for enhancing

the functionality and interpretation at the site,

order of magnitude budgets for further

restorations and enhancements of each heritage

building are needed. Once completed, this work

will contextualize fundraising goals and help to

identify a reasonable sequence of priorities.

A final and important priority for Phase One will be

to identify a new location for collections storage in

anticipation of the developer’s trailer’s removal

from the Museum site. One solution could be to

expedite the relocation of Laskay Hall to the

Museum, with space for collections in the basement

of the Hall (please see discussion of further uses for

Laskay Hall on previous diagram, and below).

Alternatively, to further complement the current

basement upgrades, a small addition to the existing

Museum could be built for artifact storage. For

both possible locations, good quality climate

control is mandatory.

Phase Two, fall 2015 to fall 2018

Once the capacity building and prioritization of

physical improvements to the site are completed in

Phase One, the next three years can focus on

priority initiatives. By this time, there may be

enough increase in foot traffic to the museum and

in self-generated revenue to increase the

staffing at the site to include a second staff

member (part time, increasing to full time),

who focuses on programming.

In addition to enhancing the existing heritage

buildings on the site, it may be possible in Phase

Two to bring other heritage structures to the

site. A private house or a barn would enhance

visitors’ experience, and could be in partnership

with a developer. The addition of Laskay Hall to the

KTM would provide a performance space while

Council considers longer-term plans for an Arts

Centre for the Township. Similarly, the Museum

should be weighed among the possible locations

for much needed new climate-controlled space for

the King Township Archives.




1

Summary: Economic

considerations for a formal

heritage and cultural presence in

King

While culture can be a symbol of the

essential brand of the Township and a

place to anchor King’s heritage, we

recognize that economic sustainability

is an important and essential factor to

bring the King Township Museum into

the future.

Admissions-generated revenue will be

key to sustainability for the KTM. With

enough magnetism to the community,

the Museum will also attract further

funding such as has been acquired

with the Fawcett Bequest.

2

However, upgrades to the Museum will be

necessary in order to attract the users and

visitation necessary to increase revenues

(i.e. spend money to make money).

We have provided the grounding to the

recommendations listed within this report.

We are enthusiastic about the Museum’s

potential, and its position as cultural hub

for King.

This report, in conjunction with a

presentation to the Mayor and Council of

the Township of King, will ask for

endorsement of the goals listed.

The King Township Museum will continue

to grow as an important cultural asset for

King, by introducing visitors to King’s rich

heritage. KTM will invite people to

experience their community’s strengths of

foundation, and its strong relationship with

history and nature.

Through the involvement of key

stakeholders, and a new crop of volunteers

and participants with the King Township

Museum, along with the various strategies

introduced for community engagement and

revenue generation discussed in this

document, the evolution of the KTM is an

exciting prospect that will make an

important contribution to the economic and

cultural sustainability of the Township.

GOALS REITERATED, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS

King Township Strategic Plan: Appendix l Beverly Dywan Design in Three Dimensions Christine Lockett Associates September 17, 2013

Goals Metrics

1) To empower the Community Museum Board to leverage their

strengths to support the Museum’s mission, vision, and strategic

plan

Metric: the Community Museum

Board has 8 to 10 members with 4

to 6 active subcommittees

-strategically recruit additional Community Museum Board members, (including

representatives of significant potential partners and funders such as

representatives from the school system, Seneca College, regional business),

and make fundraising a primary focus

-create Community Museum Board subcommittees for each heritage building

to focus on supporting enhancements to that building, and for activities such as

Volunteer Recruitment and Special Events

-King Township Historical Society to develop criteria to access the Fawcett

Bequest, based on community priorities identified in the goals and

recommendations of the Strategic Business Plan, including: increased opening

hours, enhanced programming, more events, and purchase of display cases

Metric: - Strategic Business Plan and

Fawcett Bequest priorities aligned

-percentage of Fawcett Bequest

contributions to overall funding for

strategic priorities

-develop a Fundraising and Donor Recognition Policy

2) To build volunteer engagement

-increase number of volunteers through an active program of recruitment from

a wide range of demographic groups

Metric: by 2015 there are double the

volunteers, in addition to

Community Advisory Group

members

-provide space for Arts Society King staff and volunteers in KTM buildings so

that ASK volunteers are on-site during KTM opening hours

Metric: ratio of volunteers to paid

FTE staff

- enhanced volunteer training program in place for new volunteers Metric: by 2015 the KTM is an active

participant in King Township’s

volunteer strategy

- Community Museum Board orientation program in place


3) To enhance marketing

Metrics: marketing as a percentage of total of operating expenses Marketing expenses per on-site visitor

- develop enhanced social media (including YouTube, Tumblr, Pinterest) and

an updated website for KTM

Measure using web/social media

analytics

- provide directional signage on King Road/400 highway

- Create a Marketing Plan for the KTM, which is integrated into the King

Township brand

-increase annual marketing budget to $2,000 -Measure using responsive marketing (digital footprint analysis and tracking)

-redesign KTM print collateral to align with new Museum marketing/Township

brand

4) Enhance the functionality and interpretation at the site

-to enhance visitor experience and the overall impact of the site, clearly define

the function(s) of each space, restoring heritage spaces to their original

condition as far as possible and eliminating current multiple uses (such as

combining the General Store permanent display with temporary exhibitions

simultaneously in the same space)

-by 2015, feasibility study and order

of magnitude budget for restoration

of each heritage building is

completed

-restore the school room to original state, removing fittings such as cupboards,

sink etc. that were late 20th century additions and adding heritage attributes

over time

- measure number of school visits as

a result of school room restoration

and marketing

-use new (former developer’s) space for programming such as events and for

temporary exhibits

- partnerships with community

organizations for programming

-move Laskay Hall to KTM, with full services, including a basement for

collections storage, and use for events, including performances

- Make site and exhibits more

interactive

-create a small addition to the Main Gallery, and use the addition for collections

storage


-restore the interiors of all heritage buildings, including lighting; include ramps

for accessibility

- create a small comfortable Lounge space with coffee and wifi, use also for

informal lecture, demonstrations etc

-increase the number of period artifacts and furnishings to enhance visitor

experience in all heritage buildings

-increase the amount of interpretive information available including online in all

heritage buildings

-expand the interpretive scope of temporary exhibits to include the local

environment, agriculture, Walk of Fame, and personal stories/oral histories

-increase frequency of programming, targeting underserved demographic

groups in the Township (seniors, youth) - Quantifiable demographic change

in visitorship

-use Main Gallery space for rotating exhibits

-create natural amphitheatre and other simple landscape elements such as a

natural playground, raised garden beds, meditation spiral, to provide an

enhanced site with potential for full use by community

- More cars in parking lot, increased

attendance, use of site by families

and seniors

-create a tree buffer along King Road to mitigate sound

-consider moving additional heritage buildings to the site, particularly domestic

and agricultural buildings

-purchase modular exhibit cases to be used for temporary exhibitions (request

to Fawcett Bequest)

5) To increase physical accessibil ity of the site

-connect the KTM to the trail system - by 2015, KTM is linked to trail system

-provide accessible ramp and doors to Station, Church and main building - by 2015 the two spaces have

ramps for back-of-building access

-provide more parking space and bike racks

- by 2014, KTM has more (paved)

car parking spaces and bike racks


6) To increase the revenue stream of the museum, including

increased attendance over the next two years

Annual attendance increases to 5000 by fall 2015

Metrics: - Staff expenses per on-site visitor

- Total operating expenses per on-site visitor

-adjust opening hours to include weekends; amend working hours for staff, recruiting

volunteers, and requesting funds from the Fawcett Bequest

-provide increased weekend programming to help with motivation to attend

-once renovations to the school room are complete, increase number of school visits

by annual targeting of schools that York Region Heritage School House cannot serve

-recruit further casual teaching staff (retired teachers, teachers-in-training) on an on-

call basis to increase capacity of school visits program

-increase number of visits from tourists by actively involving the KTM in all tourist

development initiatives and marketing by the Township

-create signage from Highway 400 and add further signage along King Rd to the KTM

and provide tourist information at the KTM

-increase revenues from rentals by enhancing exterior grounds, providing pathways

between buildings and “photo opportunities” for weddings /events

-rent the Church/new programming space for weddings (please see further

recommendations for the Church under Goal 3)

-develop e-commerce through the Canadian Museums Association website

Selections from Museums of Canada

Metrics: - earned income per on-line

visitor

-e-commerce measured as a

percentage of earned revenue