Staff at the Harry Kirk Archives and Records Centre (235 Vickers Street North) will be ready to return to what might be a post-pandemic normal early next month.
Although the facility has been booking appointments for one hour of research time, that will change come Monday April 4th.
“Most of the staff are in the building already and we’ve had (patrons visit) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We were providing research services through email for those who needed historical information,” mentioned Matt Szybalski, the Manager of Archives, Records and Privacy.
Szybalski noted he was sick of staring at a computer screen and felt better back in November 2021 when we was able to gather with his staff again on site.
The Centre will also be on the council agenda Monday night when it comes to an expansion in 2023 and 2024.
Information provided by city administration (starting on page 90 of the above document) includes an estimation that the archival storage areas of the Harry Kirk Archives and Records Centre will be full by 2023.
The Archives currently holds more than 17 million pages of historical documents, which date back to the 19th century.
Approximately 400 boxes are added annually to the archival holdings.
An addition would provide approximately 40 more years of archival space.
Although digitization and outsourcing the storage of nonarchival records were also considered, administration concluded that the building expansion is the least expensive option.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS (subject to council approval at that time)
- $500,000 planned in the 2023 capital budget for engineering and planning
- $3,000,000 planned in the 2024 capital budget for construction
- $19,100 increase in the operating budget beginning the year following construction.
The Archives expansion is included as one of the top 25 infrastructure priorities for the City of Thunder Bay.
