Cultural Master Plan
Cultural Master Plan - The Strathroy District Arts Council
(SDAC) has been active since 1998. Even in its earliest days, the Council realized
that a Master Plan would lead toward continued success, helping Council build on
its achievements. SDAC was presented with an opportunity through the Ontario Ministry
of Culture to write a Cultural Master Plan. The plan was to be unique, providing
a template from which other communities would benefit. The Ontario Ministry of Culture,
the Township of Strathroy-Caradoc, the Strathroy Business Improvement Area and the
SDAC funded the project. SDAC provided leadership for the project, which was completed
through the combined efforts of SDAC, funding partners, the Strathroy and District
Chamber of Commerce, the Strathroy Lions Club, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Middlesex
Community Futures Development Corp. and a number of committed and enthusiastic area
residents.
Survey of the General Public in Strathroy-Caradoc regarding Arts, Culture
and Heritage - conducted by Insights, Inc. - was completed as
part of the Cultural Master Plan. This document provides an important snapshot of
our community’s knowledge and participation in the Arts, along with insights
into local shopping and spending habits. This document was widely quoted in the
community and media when first released.
In July 2005, Donald Wright, noted philanthropist and Strathroy native, personally
announced the donation of $1 million dollars to the Wright Family Centre. The first
$100,000 was released to the Arts Council for the completion of a formal feasibility
study. In the summer of 2005, F. J. Galloway Associates Inc., of London Ontario,
in conjunction with Malhotra Nicholson Architects of London Ontario, were retained
by SDAC to complete the Feasibility Study. The completed report focuses on partnership
development, facility requirements and site/venue analysis components. As well,
the report provides initial capital cost forecasts and operating proformas based
on two possible implementation strategies: a multi-use community centre and a stand-alone
cultural centre.
Strathroy-Caradoc Multi-Use Cultural Centre Planning Workshop - The ‘Morgenstern
Report’ as this document has become known, was a collaboration between the
SDAC, the Township of Strathroy-Caradoc, the Strathroy Business Improvement Area
and Mady Development Corporation in addition to many participants from the community.
Facilitated by Jim Morgenstern of ‘dMa Planning and Management Services’
in February 2005, this workshop helped to further define the concept of a Multi-Use
Cultural Centre originally outlined in the Cultural Master Plan
Community Support
Assessment
A more detailed, broad-based Needs Assessment was conducted in 2008 as a preliminary
step to the development of a capital campaign. Interviews were conducted with a
variety of local businesses, community groups and organizations to assess their
level of interest in utilizing the proposed Wright Family Arts & Entertainment
Centre for lectures, meetings, community programming, fundraising or other events.
Information gathered from this survey ia also helping the committee to determine
space requirements, building size, layout, facility requirements and/or possible
location(s) for the centre.
Master Plan for Downtown Strathroy
In 2008 the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc engaged the firm of Zelinka Priamo
Ltd. to conduct a Master Plan for Downtown Strathroy. Aided by public input, the
firm has now completed this study which is available for viewing in print form
at the Strathroy Library and by pdf download here.
