SOME FINAL OBSERVATIONS ABOUT WOODCHESTER VILLA AND THE ILL FATED BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

THE BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WAS LAUNCHED BY GOOD INTENTION. IT'S MISSION TO RESTORE ONE OF NORTH AMERICA'S FEW REMAINING OCTAGONAL BUILDINGS, BASED ON THE DESIGN OF ORSON SQUIRE FOWLER, WAS AN IMPORTANT HERITAGE PROJECT. IT WASN'T FRIVOLOUS OR A WASTE OF MONEY. IT WAS A GOOD AND SOUND PROPERTY ACQUISITION, AND THE FACT THE CHAPEL GALLERY HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL WITH ITS MUSKOKA ARTS AND CRAFTS ASSOCIATION, PROVES THAT FOLKS WILL TRAVEL A LITTLE OUT OF THE WAY TO SEE SOMETHING THAT PLEASES THEM. THE MUSEUM FOR MANY YEARS, DID THE SAME, AND REPRESENTED BRACEBRIDGE AND ITS HERITAGE QUITE WELL. I KNOW SO. I WAS THERE.

WELL RESPECTED CITIZENS WERE BEHIND THIS PROJECT. I CO-PRODUCED THE WOODCHESTER VILLA BOOKLET WITH BRACEBRIDGE HISTORIAN ROBERT BOYER. THE PRESIDENT OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WAYLAND DREW, WAS A WELL KNOWN CANADIAN AUTHOR. HIGHLY RESPECTED LAWYER, E.P. LEE HELPED DRAFT OUR CONSTITUTION. BANK MANAGER AND TOWN COUNCILLOR, RALPH MELVIN, OFFERED A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON THAT FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE LIST OF VIPS IS A LONG ONE. THE WORK OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF BRACEBRIDGE WAS REMARKABLE. THESE WERE THE HALCYON HERITAGE DAYS IN BRACEBRIDGE, AND IT WAS EXCITING. WHEN WOODCHESTER VILLA IS CONSIDERED TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY, MUCH OF THIS IS MISSING FROM COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS, AND NEWSPAPER REPORTING. I COULDN'T NEGLECT THIS MINOR RE-TELLING OF A MEMORABLE PERIOD IN OUR LOCAL HISTORY. IT IS SUCH A SAD OCCASION NOW, TO KNOW ITS FUTURE LOOKS SO BLEAK.

PRESENT BRACEBRIDGE COUNCILLORS MIGHT STAND UP ON THAT HILLSIDE TODAY, AND LOOK AT WOODCHESTER AND THE ANCHOR OF ITS HERITAGE DESIGNATION, AND FEEL IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LEGACY "MONEY PIT." AS I MENTIONED NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SMALL SERIES OF WOODCHESTER BLOGS, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE NARROW VIEW, CERTAINLY FROM THE MID 1980'S, WHEN EVEN MENTIONING WOODCHESTER VILLA TO A COUNCILLOR, BROUGHT ABOUT A SUDDEN CHILL IN THE CONVERSATION. SO IT'S NOT THAT I BLAME PRESENT COUNCILLORS FOR VIEWING THE MUSEUM THIS WAY, AND MOST OF IT IS TRUE. THE MEASURE OF ITS SUCCESS HOWEVER, HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLOAKED BY ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES. THE NON-FISCAL REALITIES OF THE SITE, ARE EITHER IGNORED OR MISUNDERSTOOD, BECAUSE NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO PRESENT ITS TOURISM VALUE SUCCESSFULLY, TO A TOWN COUNCIL DEALING WITH PROFIT, LOSS AND COMPLIANCE TO BUDGETS. THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY HERITAGE SITES, ART GALLERIES, AND I DARE SAY EVEN PUBLIC LIBRARIES. WHAT IS THE VALUE OF "GOODWILL." HOW MUCH "GOODWILL" HAS BEEN RAISED BY THIS LITTLE OCTAGONAL HOUSE ON THE HILL? WHAT ABOUT THE CHAPEL GALLERY?

WHENEVER I HAD TO APPROACH COUNCIL FOR ASSISTANCE, AT WOODCHESTER, IT WAS ALWAYS THE CASE OF "SHOW US THE MONEY." I UNDERSTOOD THAT NEED. NO MATTER HOW MANY VISITORS TO WOODCHESTER WERE IMPRESSED BY THE SHOW WE PUT ON FOR THEM, THE ONLY ACCOUNTING THE TOWN WAS CONCERNED WITH, WAS THE EVENTUAL DEPOSIT WE MADE AT THE BANK. THEY NEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT BECAUSE WE HAD A TIGHT BUDGET, THERE WASN'T MUCH MONEY, AFTER STAFFING THE PLACE, LEFTOVER TO PLACE ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE LOCAL PRESS, OR ANYWHERE ELSE. I HAD TO BEG MUSKOKA PUBLICATIONS TO RUN OUR PRESS RELEASES AT LEAST, TO PROMOTE SOME OF OUR LARGE EVENTS. I BECAME VERY PROFICIENT AT THE ART OF THE "PRESS RELEASE." I GOT A LOT OF PUBLICITY FOR FREE, AND ANYONE WHO CONTACTED US ABOUT DOING A STORY ON WOODCHESTER, WAS TREATED AS IF THEY WERE ROYALTY. I ENTERTAINED MANY TRAVEL WRITERS FROM DAILY PUBLICATIONS, LIKE THE TORONTO STAR, AND MAGAZINES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WHO WERE LOOKING AT INTERESTING HERITAGE LOCATIONS IN CANADA. IT WAS THE SAME WITH THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FREEBIES I CONNED OFF CKCO REGIONAL NEWS REPORTER, GAR LEWIS, WHO THANKFULLY WAS A GOOD FRIEND…..AND ALWAYS INTERESTED IN SOMETHING NEW AT THE MUSEUM. I JUST KEPT COMING UP WITH INTERESTING ANGLES, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WOULD MAKE GOOD PHOTO-OPS. WE HAD TO TAKE WHATEVER WE COULD TO PROMOTE THE MUSEUM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE MORE THAN ABOUT A GRAND A YEAR, FOR CONVENTIONAL NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING. THE TOWN COULDN'T HAVE CARED LESS ABOUT OUR DISADVANTAGES THAT WAY, AND YUP, THIS WAS THE NAGGING PROBLEM THAT FRANKLY, DOOMED THE MUSEUM FROM THE BEGINNING.

THERE IS NO WAY OF EVER TRULY KNOWING WHAT GOODWILL WAS WORTH IN THOSE YEARS, AND WHAT THE SPIN-OFF WAS TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. WE ALWAYS REMINDED GUESTS TO VISIT DOWNTOWN BRACEBRIDGE, AND WE WOULD ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT GOOD PLACES FOR FAMILY DINING, CLOTHES SHOPPING, ANTIQUE SHOPS AND SO MANY INQUIRIES ABOUT SANTA'S VILLAGE. WE WERE AS MUCH A TOURIST INFORMATION SITE, AS A COMMUNITY MUSEUM. WE FELT, ON MOST OCCASIONS, THAT WE WERE SENDING PEOPLE OFF TO SEE THE REST OF TOWN, FEELING AS IF THEY HAD ENJOYED OUR HOSPITALITY AS A STARTING POINT TO A COMMUNITY-WIDE VISIT. THE STAFF WAS RIGOROUSLY REMINDED THAT THEY WERE TOWN AMBASSADORS, AND AS SUCH, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE AS OBLIGING AS POSSIBLE. IF WE HAD A COMPLAINT, IT WAS NEVER BECAUSE A STAFF MEMBER WAS RUDE, OR INDIFFERENT. IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO AFFORD A NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE ADVERTISEMENT, THEN WE HAD TO COUNT ON OUR SATISFIED CUSTOMERS, SPREADING THE WORD AMONGST OTHER POTENTIAL VISITORS. IT DID WORK TO A DEGREE. WHEN WE PUT ON CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS ESPECIALLY, WE HAD MANY RETURNING FAMILIES EVENT AFTER EVENT. SOME CAME FROM AREA RESORTS, THAT HAD OFFERED OUR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ON THEIR COMMUNITY RECREATION BOARDS. WE FLEW ON THE CHEAP, AND HONESTLY, WE FLEW A LONG WAY ON A LITTLE.

IF I STOOD SIDE BY SIDE PRESENT BRACEBRIDGE COUNCILLORS, AT THE FRONT OF WOODCHESTER VILLA TODAY, I WOULD HAVE THE SAME PERPLEXING PROBLEM AS I HAD IN THE 1980'S, WHEN I FIRST MENTIONED THE NEED TO MAKE SOME REPAIRS TO THE VERANDAH….THE PORCH, THE CRUMBLING WALL. "SHOW US THE MONEY?" WHY WOULD IT BE ANY DIFFERENT NOW? IF I COULDN'T GENERATE ENTHUSIASM WHEN WE HAD FIVE HUNDRED OR MORE VISITORS TO A BLUEBERRY SOCIAL, OR A CHRISTMAS IN JULY EVENT, HOW IN THE WORLD WOULD I BE ABLE TO SELL THEM ON THE PRESENT, LOOKING-ABANDONED BIRD HOUSE? IF EVER THERE WAS THE REQUIREMENT OF A COUNCILLOR TO BE CONCILIATORY AND VISIONARY, ABOUT THIS HERITAGE SITE, NOW IS THE TIME. WHAT A TIME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN! WITH THE ABSOLUTE NEED FOR BUDGET RESTRAINT, AND TAXPAYER EXHAUSTION, I'M AFRAID IT IS THE WORSE PERIOD IN MODER HISTORY, TO BE ASKING COUNCIL FOR A HAND-OUT OR A HAND-UP. PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL FUNDING IS GOING TO BE HARDER TO GET.

A YEAR AGO I STUCK MY OAR IN, ON THE WOODCHESTER DEBACLE. I DID SO AS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERS, AND INITIATORS OF THE BIRD HOUSE RESTORATION, DATING BACK TO 1977-78. I FELT AN OBLIGATION TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, I HAD A HAND IN CREATING IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WROTE TO THE TOWN, AND COMPOSED A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRACEBRIDGE EXAMINER, OFFERING MY ASSISTANCE, TO DEAL WITH ANY IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE ISSUES…..WHICH COULD HAVE MEANT GOING INTO THE BUILDING AND SECURING THE VALUABLE ANTIQUES AND HERITAGE ITEMS IN THE MUSEUM. FROM THE LETTER IN THE NEWSPAPER, I ONLY RECEIVED TWO RESPONSES, AND FROM THE TOWN, A POLITE "THANK YOU." NOW CONSIDERING WOODCHESTER WAS RESTORED BY HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS, STRETCHING OVER ABOUT FIVE YEARS OF ITS MOST ACTIVE MUSEUM BUSINESS, IN THE EARLY 1980'S, THE COMMUNITY WAS BEING QUITE CLEAR ON THE MATTER. "LEAVE US ALONE." AS FOR THE TOWN, MY FEELING WAS THE SAME. AND I DID. UNTIL JUST RECENTLY, READING COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL SOURCES, INDICATING THE BUILDING MIGHT BE BULLDOZED, TAKEN APART, AND REBUILT PIECE BY PIECE, AND THAT AT LEAST ONE COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, WAS UNAWARE IF THE CONTENTS WERE STILL IN THE MUSUEM. SO I STUCK MY OAR IN AGAIN, WHETHER IT WAS DESIRED OR NOT.

I INFORMED THE EDITOR OF THE BRACEBRIDGE EXAMINER, THAT SHOULD THE REPORTER, WHO DID THE MOST RECENT STORY ON WOODCHESTER, WISH SOME BACKGROUND ON THE MUSEUM…..SOME INSIGHT ABOUT THE YEARS OF STRUGGLE TO KEEP IT AFLOAT, AND MY INVOLVEMENT AS ONE OF THE FOUNDING DIRECTORS, I WOULD WELCOME THE REVIEW OF MY POSTED BLOGS, DATING BACK TO THE LATE WINTER OF 2011. JUST FOR THE RECORD. TO CLEARLY SHOW THAT I HAD OFFERED TO HELP AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE WRAP-AROUND VERANDAH, AND ADVISE ON THE POSSIBLE FUTURE OUTCOMES FOR THE SITE. AS YOU CAN READ FROM MY PREVIOUS BLOGS, POSTED ON THIS BRACEBRIDGE SITE, I AM NOT A STRICT ADVOCATE FOR SITE RESTORATION, OR ITS RETURN TO MUSEUM FUNCTION, BASED ON THE HIGH COST OF REPAIRS INSIDE AND OUT. I HAVE SUGGESTED THE SITE BE CONSIDERED AS AN ARTS / HERITAGE CENTRE, AND IF THE BUILDING COULD BE RESTORED, THAT IT BE USED AS AN ART-RELATED FACILITY. I SEE THE VALUE OF A COMMUNITY MUSEUM IN THE FUTURE, BUT IN A NEW BUILDING IN A MORE ACCESSIBLE, VISIBLE PART OF TOWN.

THIS IS MY LAST WORD ABOUT WOODCHESTER…..AT LEAST UNTIL I READ THE NEXT NEWS ITEM ABOUT ITS FATE. I WISH THE TOWN HAD BEEN BETTER STEWARDS OF THE SITE, SINCE MY DEPARTURE IN 1989, BUT WHAT IS DONE IS DONE. WHAT HAPPENS NOW? MAYBE YOU CAN PLAY A ROLE. DON'T BE AFRAID OF MAKING COMMENT.