But no one wants to pay even that much, says report
Nov 14, 2008 - 09:30 AM
By Jennifer Stone
BOWMANVILLE -- Not only has the Total Hockey collection been appraised at a fraction of what the Municipality of Clarington paid for it, but an attempt to sell the artifacts garnered a top offer of less than a third of the appraised value.
The Municipality bought the collection belonging to Peter Puck creator Brian McFarlane in 2003, for about $225,000. The new appraisal indicates the collection is worth $51,810, says a report to go to Clarington's General Purpose and Administration committee Monday.
According to the appraisal done five years before council purchased it, the collection was worth $112,825.
Municipal staff says the $225,000 purchase price included more than just the collection itself.
"The purchase included some services from Brian McFarlane," said Sharon Meredith of the Municipality's Community Services department, last spring as the new appraisal was ordered.
Included in the original sale price were so-called "soft services" including consulting services from Mr. McFarlane and his wife as well as the exhibition licence for Peter Puck, which Mr. McFarlane created. Peter Puck's image was allowed to be used in connection with Total Hockey events for a limited time.
Calls to Community Services Director Joe Caruana for a specific breakdown on how much was paid for the collection itself in 2003 were not returned by This Week's deadline Thursday.
A request for proposal, inviting people and organizations to bid on the collection, closed Oct. 31, with both the collection and the Total Hockey trade mark licence agreement up for grabs. The highest bid was $16,437, and was only for the collection; no one bid on the trademark.
As a result of the low offers, staff is recommending council cancel the bidding process and allow them to place the collection in storage, while staff look at other options.
After buying it, the Municipality built a $1.5-million building to house the collection, adjacent to the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. A business plan projected the museum could attract between 20,000 and 25,000 people a year.
The museum opened in October 2006, and, after dismal attendance with less than 4,000 people paying to get in last year, council voted to close it, effective last spring.
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