Caithness Horizons - Council bridges funding gap
The additional cash support takes the Council’s contribution towards the £3.6 million project to £934,000.
The funding package is now in place to enable Caithness Horizons, promoters of the Thurso project, to bid for a £500,000 grant from the European Regional Development Fund.
Caithness councillors are delighted at the support given to the project, which is supplemented by an increased contribution towards the running costs of the new facility from 2008/9.
Area Committee Convener Councillor David Flear said: "This is a great boost for Caithness. The project represents the single biggest investment in tourism leisure and community facilities in the county for many many years. It breathes new life into a landmark building in Thurso and promises to provide the area with a very welcome economic lift. It is also an outstanding example of partnership working between a number of public agencies and the community."
Board members of Caithness Horizons, Councillors Donald Mackay and Roger Saxon, a former chairman, also welcomed the Council’s increased grant aid.
Councillor Mackay said: "This is great news for Caithness. The redevelopment of Thurso Town Hall has the potential to create an outstanding facility in the centre of Thurso for the benefit of local people and visitors to Caithness and the North Highlands."
Councillor Saxon said: "Hopefully, Caithness will soon have a fabulous museum and visitor attraction with enhanced community facilities that we can all be proud of. We very much welcome the support given by the Council towards this important project."
As well as providing modern facilities for community and educational use, the refurbished buildings will contain a high quality accredited museum telling the human and environmental story of Caithness. The museum will bring together existing collections held in the area by Thurso Heritage Society, the Council and the UKAEA, the three partners who have formed a joint venture to take the project forward.
The buildings will remain in the ownership of the Council but will be leased to Caithness Horizons, a company limited by guarantee with charitable status.
The facility will remain open throughout the year, with free entry and will incorporate a Tourist Information Centre. A learning centre will provide locally accessible resources and facilities for schools and lifelong learning, as well as for academic courses and research in collaboration with North Highland College UHI.
Other funding has come from UKAEA, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.