A $50,000 sponsorship deal for Grey Roots Museum and Archives is going to lead to significant upgrades at the facility.
At its meeting on June 27, Grey County council approved a staff report that outlined a new sponsorship deal Grey Roots has reached with a local citizen. Grey Roots and Thomas Wheildon have reached a sponsorship agreement worth $50,000 that will see the theatre at the museum called the Thomas Wheildon Theatre for the next 10 years.
The sponsorship money will be paid out in $10,000 installments over the next several years and will allow Grey Roots to make some upgrades to the theatre’s visual and audio equipment.
Savanna Myers, the county’s director of economic development, tourism and culture, delivered the report to council and said she was thrilled to bring forward the sponsorship agreement.
Myers said Grey Roots is 20 years old this year and the equipment in the theatre is long past its expected lifespan.
“We’re going to do some much needed work and turn (the theatre) into a real asset,” said Myers.
Myers said Mr. Wheildon is a long-time supporter of Grey Roots and was interested in helping improve the theatre.
“We thought it was the perfect fit,” she said. “We’re very excited about this opportunity.”
Over the next three years, the equipment in the theatre will be modernized including: a new projector and Blu-ray player, control booth improvements, lighting fixtures, new audio equipment,new wireless communication equipment and improved video and live streaming equipment/software.
Doug Cleverley, the events coordinator for Grey Roots, said the upgrades to the theatre will bring the facility into the modern age. He said there are audio, video/visual and lighting limitations right now that need to be upgraded.
“This is a room that was really designed as a lecture hall,” he said.
Grey Roots staff plan to upgrade the theatre in several phases. The first three phases are covered by $25,000 in the 2024 capital budget. The remaining phases will be covered by the sponsorship/naming rights dollars. The upgrades will lead to more rental opportunities and revenue.
“These upgrades will better enable programs, events and exhibit extensions at Grey Roots, in addition to public and corporate events that require such capabilities,” Myers said in her report.
County council approved the report and authorized Warden Brian Milne and Clerk Tara Warder to sign the sponsorship agreement.
