Image credit: Cho Ben Holback + Associates

For Immediate Release

 Bill Introduced for Allegany County Museum Planning

Cumberland, MD – Senator George C. Edwards and Delegate LeRoy Myers have agreed to introduce, in their respective legislative bodies, bills which authorize the amount of $250,000 as a grant to the Board of Directors of Western Maryland Station Center, Inc. (WMSC) for the planning and design of the future Allegany County Museum in the Canal Place Heritage Tourism Complex in downtown Cumberland.

This funding from the state will be matched by WMSC for the planning phase of the renovation of the W. D. Schaefer building at 3 Pershing Street, which formerly was the Post Office and currently houses the District Court. It is located at the corner of Pershing Street and Mechanic Street, directly across from the Railroad Station at Canal Place. This building, which is owned outright by WMSC, a not-for-profit corporation, will become the location for the new Allegany County Museum.

Senate Bill 881 is sponsored by Senator Edwards and House Bill 1458 is sponsored by the Allegany County Delegation.

Copies of these bills can be obtained at the following websites:

Senate bill: http://mlis.state.md.us/2008RS/bills/sb/sb0881f.pdf

House bill: http://mlis.state.md.us/2008RS/bills/hb/hb1458f.pdf

The eventual installation of the Allegany County Museum will be a major positive step in the extension of the Canal Place Heritage Tourism Complex, a move that is essential to the economic revitalization of Cumberland.

The Allegany County Museum is currently temporarily housed at 81 Baltimore Street on the Downtown Mall. The new Museum will be a major upgrade of the current Museum and will expand in scale to a national class institution that will attract visitors to Cumberland from all over the region and the country.

WMSC has contracted with the architectural firm of Cho Ben Holback Associates of Baltimore to prepare plans for the Pershing Street renovation. The majority of the planning funds from the state will go toward the architectural planning.

The Allegany County Museum is associated with, but organizationally and financially independent from, the Canal Place Authority and has never before made use of state taxpayer funding.

However, according to Gary Bartik, president of WMSC, “We have reached a point where seed money will take us to the next essential level.” Bartik added, “The new Museum, once in operation, will return the investment many times over in terms of increased business in the community as well as attracting companies to our area’s improved quality of life. And that means jobs.”

The Allegany County Museum may prove to be a needed shot in the arm for Canal Place. The addition of the Allegany County Museum will complete “Phase Two” of the Heritage Tourism Complex. WMSC, Inc., is the first major private sector initiative in the Complex; something local political and business leaders have been calling for.

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The Allegany County Museum, under the supervision of the Western Maryland Station Center, Inc., preserves the area's history and has become a major heritage attraction. The Museum's concentration is on transportation history, industrial history, and social history, and also features permanent and visiting exhibits, and special collections. The Museum will be closed from January to May 2008 but may be opened by special appointment and the Museum is available for special tours, receptions, and parties. Please telephone 301-777-7200 for information.