This stunning painting of the Loretto Convent by local artist Irene Smedley was generously donatd by the West Hills Art Group to Guelph Civic Museum.

New Museum conceptual images 

The new museum project is taking shape as we continue working through the design process with The Ventin Group Architects. Considerable time was spent through the late fall and early winter on the site plan and exterior design in order to meet all of our requirements.  The major challenge of the site, the sloping site, is also one of its best features. The prominent location on the hill will make the new museum highly visible but it does mean that parking and accessibility issues are somewhat complicated and require careful consideration.  We believe that we have developed a site plan that works.

There will be two additions to the Convent. One is at the rear of the building and will house mostly artifact storage as well as a stairway.  The second is on the Cork Street side of the building and will be the new main entrance.  It will contain a stair, essential to provide two means of egress from each level, but will also be part of the visitor experience linking floors one, two, and three which will be the public levels.

We had an excellent turnout at the public meeting in January and also received a favourable response to the survey posted on the City's website. 74% of the responses rated the façade and elevations as either excellent or good.   The conceptual design received the endorsement of both Heritage Guelph and Guelph Museums Board of Management.

Since January Reitzel Demolition has been working inside the Convent to complete hazardous material abatement and removal of selected interior finishes and partitions.  They are also salvaging selected features, which will be stored for potential use in the new museum.  Reitzel will complete their work by April 30.

We are now working on the details of the interior. Highlights include a 1000 sf classroom, a 475 sf meeting room, a 500 sf gift shop, a 1100 sf children's gallery, and an archival research room. In March, Museum staff worked with a consultant from the Canadian Conservation Institute on artifact and archival storage requirements for our collections. The project will be ready for construction tender by June 1 and it is hoped that the contract will be awarded and the work will begin by September 1, 2009.

Katherine McCracken

Director, Guelph Museums