APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Board members of the Trout Museum of Art say they’ve outgrown their current building. Renovation isn’t an option due to cost, so they say it makes more sense to build in a different location.
“Our building is 100 years old and right here on Houdini Plaza — it’s wonderful, but it is more difficult for us to get larger shows and shows that have a variety of artwork,” said Christina Turner, Executive Director of the Trout Museum.
The current building is located along College Avenue in Downtown Appleton. Turner said the museum is eyeing a site along the Fox River in Appleton — the Ellen Kort Peace Park.
But relocation ideas are facing some resistance.
The park is currently undeveloped, according to former city council alderperson, Christine Williams. She says the council made a resolution in 2016, and what the museum wants to do with this land conflicts with that resolution.
“The sign is up, but it hasn’t been developed as a park, and I’d like to see it developed as a park,” Williams said. “I don’t want to see it developed as an art museum.”
Williams was on the council when the park was renamed. She said there are other spots in the city that would be better than the one the museum is going after.
“It’s very, very small, and I don’t know how they can have room for a park as well as an art museum.”
Turner says the new museum is still in the early stages, so there are no blueprints or renderings available yet. She expects construction would cost about $10 million.
“This is our budget, our hopeful amount of money that we feel would create a beautiful place for us — at the same time, be a fiscally responsible thing to do for our non-profit organization.”
Williams says leasing the park for a new building goes against what the city has always done.
“Appleton does not sell land set aside for parks or park land already being used as parks.”
The museum will have to go through the Appleton Common Council before any construction begins.
The Appleton Parks and Recreation Committee has already voted unanimously to continue exploring the possibility of relocating the museum to the park. The committee’s recommendation will be reviewed on August 3rd.
