GLACE BAY, N.S. — The water isn’t pouring through the damaged roof of Old Town Hall anymore thanks to money being secured for much-needed repairs.
Elke Ibrahim, vice-chair of the Glace Bay Museum Society which oversees operations at Old Town Hall, and other members of the group have been desperately trying to obtain the $230,000 needed for roof repairs for more than a year.
Thanks to funding from the federal, provincial and municipal governments, plus $80,000 donated from a successful Chase the Ace fundraiser in conjunction with the Royal Canadian Legion in Glace Bay, the roof can now be fixed.
“We are very relieved,” said Ibrahim, who told the Cape Breton Post in April 2019 she feared the museum and Old Town Hall would have to close if money wasn't secured for repairs.
Two parts of the roof are smaller and flat. These needed repairs to cracks. The larger metal roof needs to be replaced and this is where most of the funding will be allocated.
The society received more than $3,600 from the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s heritage program before winter weather started. It was used to hire PMC Roofing which repaired cracks along one of the flat roofs. They also put in place a protective plastic covering to limit water leakage into the building which contains historical artifacts and documents.
“At least we don’t have water pouring in like crazy. That is nice,” said Ibrahim. “We are all relieved.”
The rest of the repairs and the metal roof, which needs to be replaced, will start in spring — once the weather permits. Costs of this will be covered by money the society has received for the repairs and money coming from another CBRM grant and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency when the project is completed.
Although the society can breathe easy knowing they’ve secured funding for the roof repairs, the struggle to cover operational costs still looms overhead.
Winter heating when the museum and gift shop are closed continues to be a huge expense and January’s record-break snowfall hasn't helped keep those costs low.
“We can’t keep it unheated,” Ibrahim explained. “It affects the artifacts and the documents. We can’t risk having mould grow in there.”
Ibrahim said they’ll continue to fundraise to cover heating and other operational costs through used book sales, ticket draws and special events.
The museum is closed for the winter but opens again April 2.
