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Lynwood Arts Centre is weighing two options for its future in Norfolk County: option one would see the organization stay in its current historic building at 21 Lynnwood Avenue and purchase it from the county, taking on the cost of repairs, while option two would see it relocate to the Norfolk County Archives building under a lease agreement with fewer capital responsibilities. The discussion comes as the board has not met its current lease terms, which require it to cover a portion of capital repair costs, adding urgency to council’s decision on the gallery’s future.
During an April 14 Council-in-Committee meeting, council heard from board chair Paul Hammond, where he made a renewed case for staying in the building.
The board’s position marks a shift from Hammond’s March 10 deputation, when he raised concerns about fundraising and said relocating to the archives building appeared to be the safer option.
Hammond said the organization shares council’s goals of supporting the arts, protecting the collection, and finding a cost-effective solution. He also explained fundraising challenges tied to the current five-year lease.
He added that purchasing the building would allow Lynwood to control its fundraising timeline and spread repair costs over several years. But, there appears to be a significant gap between what the county hopes to earn from selling the Lynwood building and what the Lynwood board can afford.
Meanwhile, the Norfolk Historical Society is now backing efforts to keep Lynwood Arts in place, raising concerns about a proposed move into the Eva Brook Donly building on Norfolk Street South, now home to the Norfolk County Archives. Kate Van der Meer of the historical society spoke at the April 14 meeting.
She warned the move could strain archive storage and impact historically significant collections.
Council ultimately rejected a motion to delay the decision and instead approved issuing a notice of default under Lynwood’s lease, which will be considered for final approval at the April 28 council meeting.
That means the Lynwood board must now come up with its share (about $132,000) for urgent foundation repairs within roughly six weeks.
Written by Jeremy Hall
