– or more!
On May 6th Council awarded the contract. Once the walls of the historic building are opened the unknowns will be revealed—such as asbestos and structural issues–and costs could soar to $750K or more. It happens in every renovation. A huge amount of money is being put into this, a few questions could be asked:
Are there plans afoot for the Miyazaki House to generate ongoing, monthly revenue?
Can we add more public usefulness? The art shows and cultural events have social value but are few and far between, as are rentals for events. Tours are seldom and they aren’t monetized, the website meekly asks for a “suggested donation of $25”.
Would some community engagement or even a town hall help to generate some ideas? An email to the MH Society with some questions got no reply. Calling and leaving a message got no response. Wouldn’t it reflect well on an evolving town if more dialogue happened, such as town halls?
Is it time to bring in new energy to the Society, to restructure the Society?
We’re in dire need of health supports, how about renting rooms to professionals doing massage, foot care, or______?
Boutique historical salon serving tea & scones?
How about a few parking spaces? How about we buy the empty lot between the municipal building and the post office?
According to Canadian charity law, a society can:
- operate a gift shop, paid parking service, or a restaurant or café on the site
- sell products bearing a logo
- rent/lease space in the building or parking lot
- activities directly related to the charity can be used to generate funds
If the Society doesn’t monetize and turn this glorious building into a living, breathing space used daily by the community, then it sits there, looking pretty and overlooked, and the current spate of drug dealers who conduct their illegal trade from the porch get an even nicer porch?
I bet the good Dr. Miyazaki would smile down from heaven if he saw the old house being used for healthcare.
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Troy
I tried to leave a comment and went to WordPress and needed a password and I got one and still does not recognize it. Below is the comment I tried to make:
It would be most interesting to know if the group that led and put together the East Lillooet Japanese Memorial Gardens are involved. They certainly have the capacity and dedication to the Japanese history of our area. They can source funds through grants etc. Is it possible to “move” the focus of the Miyazaki house more toward that part of its history? Fresh looks, renewals and differing focus are always a good thing but not very welcome; especially in Lillooet.
Peter Busse
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Sorry you had trouble leaving a comment, Peter. Maybe that’s because the comment settings currently require me to approve before they go up?
The Miyazaki House Society are comprised of numerous people. https://miyazakihouse.com/miyazaki-house-society/
Not sure what direct personal connections there are to the Japanese Memorial Gardens. The building itself has a long and varied history of use. It would be good if after sinking 1/2 a million dollars into it, the building became a lively, active space for the community. We can do both: honour the legacy of Dr. Miyazaki and by extension recognize the terrible injustice inflicted upon Japanese Canadians in WWII who were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to an internment camp here, AND, breathe new life and usefulness into the building in the present day. This, to my mind, would show maturity and sophistication.
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No worries
Next time I will send you my comment for your vetting first.
Peter
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No, please keep commenting on here. I’ll change the settings and see how it goes. I had comments set for my approval first, anticipating that they could be awful. lol But best to think positively. 🙂
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