| FURTHER PROGRESS WITH REDEVELOPMENT OF THURSO TOWN
HALL
Plans to redevelop Thurso Town Hall and
the adjoining Thurso Museum into a multi-purpose visitor, information and
community centre called "Caithness Horizons" have taken a key step forward
with the appointment of a specialist exhibition design team to develop the
internal design of the revamped building and a museum assistant to audit
and catalogue the museum collections.
MKW Design Partnership from Edinburgh
will work closely with Property and Architectural Services of The Highland
Council to develop the theme of "Caithness Horizons" for the interior
design of the building. The visitor/exhibition areas will present a
journey through time which reflects the history and the rich heritage of
Caithness by means of interpretive displays which will include an audio
visual presentation. There will also be spaces provided for the staging of
temporary exhibitions. The completion of the design will then enable
funding applications to be supported with fully designed and costed
proposals.
Working with the design consultants will
be Alan McIvor, the volunteer exhibitions co-ordinator with the Thurso
Heritage Society, who is being seconded for 17 weeks by The Highland
Council to work as a museums assistant, auditing and cataloguing more than
3,000 items held in storage by the Society and the Council.
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Alan McIvor the volunteer exhibitions co-ordinator
with the Thurso Heritage Society, who is being seconded for 17 weeks
by The Highland Council to work as a museums assistant, auditing and
cataloguing more than 3,000 items held in storage by the Society and
the Council.
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Alan, who has worked with the
Council for 11 years, took up his temporary new duties this week,
working from the Thurso Museum. He will return to his job as a
street sweeper in Thurso, once his task at the museum is completed.
Alan said: "I have a strong
interest in the heritage of Thurso and have been working on my own
collection for eight years. My job over the next four months will be
to photograph and create a data base of all the items held by the
Council and the Society. This will help identify the space required
by the design team for the museum."
The Council is also beginning to
firm up alternative plans for current community-based groups during
the refurbishment period.
As owners of the Town Hall, the
Council is working in partnership with UKAEA and
Thurso
Heritage Society to redevelop the Town Hall and adjacent
Thurso Museum, to create a focal point for Thurso including a top
class visitor attraction for the area. Other partners are also in
support of the project - Historic Scotland, Scottish Natural
Heritage, UHI Environmental Research Institute, Royal Society for
the Protection of Birds, Castle of Mey Trust, Highlands of Scotland
Tourist Board and Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise. |
The main components are proposed to be: -
- Permanent and temporary exhibitions and
displays that collectively showcase Caithness and Thurso;
- Lecture and audio visual presentation facilities;
- A Tourist Information Centre;
- A Council Service Point;
- A café
Convener of The Highland Council's Caithness Area
Committee, Councillor David Flear has welcomed the progress being made on
the project.
He said: "It is important that the public see things
happening and we are delighted to have taken these further steps towards
our goal of transforming the Town Hall into a focal point for the local
community and visitors alike."
Plans For New Visitor Centre At Thurso Town Hall
 The
project is the establishment and operation of a multi-purpose visitor,
information and community centre within the Thurso Town Hall and the
adjacent Carnegie Library through the restoration, refurbishment and
alteration of the building.
Check Out Artists Impressions |