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TTC Museum / Visitor Centre

Hipster Duck:

I don't really like the idea of relegating our transit vehicles to Halton either. Personally, I think it would be best to include some transit element to any future Museum of Toronto project, be it some sort of indoor display or outdoors vehicle "lot". No thanks to a standalone, TTC funded transit museum though - it distracts from the core business, quite frankly.

AoD
 
I doubt that the transit museum would cost that much to run. They could easily find volunteers, and if they have a decent amount of attractions (vehicles, rare artifacts, antique streetcar rides), they should be able to almost break even. The Halton County Radial Railway exists doesn't it? I don't think they get any funding from any government (correct me if I'm wrong). Logically if they do the exact same thing here in Toronto, more people would come, yet it would have the same operating cost, apart from the obvious land value difference. If we could get the City to donate some land for the museum, or at least give a tax break, then I doubt any operational funding would be needed.

I think that to be the most cost-effective, the museum should not be run by the TTC, but rather by the City, or by the people who now run the Halton County Radial Railway (which will presumably go out of business if we take their streetcars, trolleybuses and subways). The HCRR gets donations, but I don't think people would be so inclined to donate money directly to the TTC. It would also probably have a nicer environment if it's run by transit fans rather than TTC employees.
 
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DHLawrence85 said:
Yes and no; they get money from the City of Milton directly and some grants from Milton and Halton endowment funds and from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (lottery funds). They also get money from the TTC already:

http://www.hcry.org/don_collectionDonations.html
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The OERHA has never received monetary donations from the TTC. They do donate surplus materials from time to time.

There is no annual operating grant from Milton, or anyone else for that matter, just sporadic grants for specific projects as noted above. In fact, the OERHA has to pay property taxes and site development fees on any new structures.

RG
 
As I understand it, both reports are clear that public rides are not being considered. If you do offer rides, the costs of restoration, repair, maintenance and operators really begin to climb. Even with all volunteer mechanics, restorers and operators, the OERHA / HCRR is just able to pay it's bills.

Voluneers don't grow on trees, either, especially if you must be open regular business hours and on weekends. Most volunteer streetcar museums in Canada & the US have difficuty getting enough people to operate cars. let alone for the really difficult, skilled or dirty jobs and the vast majority are struggling financially.

They OERHA vehicle collection was acquired over 55 years when few cared about heritage and is owned outright by them. Any loan of vehicles would have to be negotiated with them.

RG
 
Everyone: I found it interesting that the TTC is looking into a Transit Museum for Toronto - Good idea!
After reading the topic I feel that they should pattern themselves like the NYC Transit Museum - directly run by the MTA but also has support from admissions paid by visitors and by selling memberships and other fundraising efforts like selling old NYCTA collectibles a good example - I feel that this would be the way to go and take the burden off riders and taxpayers and let those interested contribute directly to its operation.
Look here for some info: www.mta.info/mta/museum and for more google "New York Transit Museum"
Insight from LI MIKE
 
Commissioner Joe Mihevc has a business item for the next TTC meeting, on February 21, 2017. From link.

TTC Transit Museum

It is time to put some structure into the conversation around a Transit Museum for Toronto. The year 2021 will mark the 100th anniversary of the TTC and present a wonderful goal for which to strive in terms of project. The proposal here is to develop a TTC staff/Commission/key stakeholder committee to explore the feasibility of a museum.

The TTC Transit Museum need not be a grand enterprise; it can be modest, using the financial resources and skills of suppliers, retired TTC employees, transit buffs, etc. Organizations like the Canadian Transit Heritage Foundation could be invited. The assumption going in would be that such an endeavour would be of little or no cost to the TTC.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the CEO appoint a staff person to work with interested Commissioners and TTC heritage champions to explore the idea of a TTC Transit Museum and to report back to the Commission within a year.
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