Town seeks proposals
Regarding future uses for Clark’s Harbour Seaside Heritage Hall
The Town of Clark’s Harbour is seeking proposals and feedback from the public on the future use of the historic Seaside Heritage Hall.
“We want to repurpose the building,” said Mayor Leigh Stoddart.
“We’re not using it for a Seaside Heritage Hall now, that’s not to say we won’t in the future if nothing happens. We’re just putting it out there and maybe at some point we may sell the building if someone had a real interest.”
The town purchased the historic building around 2000, doing a major restoration to the three-storey structure that was once an IOOF Hall.
Since then the town has operated the building as a museum and tourist bureau on the first floor, and banquet facilities on the second storey for a time, until it was turned into a haunted house, with temporary walls left in place to accommodate this yearly event.
Last summer, the town’s tourist bureau was operated by volunteers.
“We’re hoping someone will operate it, come up with a business scheme or some other purpose,” said Stoddart.
“It would be nice for it to continue as a museum” and be connected to the tourism industry “but if there are other options that serve the community better, then we’ll take a look at it for sure but I wouldn’t rule out what we are already doing.” The town is accepting proposals and suggestions from the public on the future use of the building until Jan. 26. The hall does have kitchen facilities and houses a fairly large artifact collection related to the fishing industry and local sports, the mayor said.