Waynesboro council approves funding for new museum

WAYNESBORO - Funding has been approved by the Waynesboro City Council for the new Virginia Museum of Natural History in Waynesboro.

According to Julia Bortle, Waynesboro City Council clerk, council voted unanimously to a $1 million economic incentive to build a $7.5 million satellite campus in the city.

The money is contingent on state and private funding coming through and requires approval from future councils, according to Greg Hitchin, Waynesboro economic development director.

"We agreed to provide over a three year construction period," he said of the incentive, "provided that the state contribute $6.5 million towards the project and a public and corporate contribution campaign is initiated by the museum.

"The goal is to reach commitments of $10 million before the museum starts the project from three different sources — local, state and private," Hitchin added.

There are a few obstacles standing in the museum and city's way right now.

It's up to the museum's board of trustees to narrow down where the museum will be located, Hitchin said. There are two possible locations — the open municipal lot at Main Street and Arch Avenue or reusing the current motor works building across from city hall.

"Our incentive is contingent on if they open new on the municipal lot and build new," Hitchin said.

If all goes according to plan, funding would be approved by the state in May and go into effect June 1, he said.

"This point it's all contingent on the state budget," Hitchin said.

Officials with the Virginia Museum of Natural History, whose main site is in Martinsville, said in early 2015 the site could be ready for exhibits and visitors by 2017.

"One of our strategic initiatives is to create more of a destination," Hitchin said. "We've got thousands of people who travel the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive who are looking for something to do when they get off."

From destinations like the P. Buckley Moss gallery, the soon-to-open Wayne Theatre and the Shenandoah Arts Center, Hitchin said there's plenty to do in Waynesboro to draw tourism.

"Having a Waynesboro campus increasing that destination appeal, it adds to the regions tourism," he said.

Follow Laura Peters @peterslaura and @peterpants . You can reach her at lpeters@newsleader.com or 213-9125.