Museum plans move forward

By Michelle Kealey

Staff Writer

WESTFIELD The Discover Westfield Children's Museum (DWCM) has reached its goal for phase one of its "Lend a Hand, Be a Star" capital campaign and the organization is hoping to break ground on the new building as early as this month.

Board members for the museum are scheduled to appear before the city's Planning Board on Sept. 6.

The museum, which is currently located at 99 Elm Street, opened in 1997 and has outgrown its space. The museum was created by teachers and parents in 1994.

The DWCM Board recently voted to move ahead with the construction of the new 10,000 square foot facility that will be re-named the Amelia Park Children's Museum and become part of a larger children's campus that includes Amelia Park and the Boys and Girls Club.

Doug DeLeo, DWCM board member, explained that the Board has chosen a contractor for the job, but has not yet executed the agreement.

DeLeo, who is also chairman of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club, became a DWCM Board member recently. He said that all of the fund-raising credit goes to the Board members who have been raising funds for the past 18 months.

When the DWCM began to raise funds, Albert Ferst, a local philanthropist and retired business man, offered the museum a challenge grant of $1 million.

The challenge was broken into two parts the museum had to raise $500,000 toward construction and Ferst would match that amount for the building, which was phase one for the museum.

Phase two, according to DeLeo, includes raising funds for the inside of the museum and all of the exhibits.

He explained that the money from Ferst's challenge grant will become available as soon as construction begins.

DeLeo said that the goal is to keep the construction costs at $1.5 million.

He said that "if all goes well and we get the green light" the Board will look forward to a formal groundbreaking.

DeLeo explained that the new museum will become part of a children's campus, which is "something Mr. Ferst has wanted as part of this overall complex." The entire complex will become known as the Amelia Park Campus.

He explained that Ferst created Amelia Park Ice Arena and Amelia's Garden in memory of his wife Amelia.

"Amelia was quite a special lady and had a lot of influence," DeLeo said. "Her dedication to children was clearly second to none."

He said that Amelia would have "moved mountains" to make certain happen for local children.

"Al wanted to make sure it was completed," DeLeo said.

Ferst said, "The personal joy I get seeing the smiles, enthusiasm, and energy from the kids using these facilities is my motivation. We have an obligation to ensure our children have as many opportunities as we as a community can provide to learn and discover [and] to become good citizens and future leaders."

DeLeo said that the idea is to promote the campus as a destination point for children, in which all three facilities can work together on behalf of the children.

"The idea is to really find synergy for the organizations," he said.

He explained that the Boys and Girls Club has a great educational component for children, which includes a 30-station computer lab, after-school homework programs and athletic programs, but it does not have the type of natural science activities that the museum will include.

He added that by creating the children's campus, all organizations will be covering the arts, sciences athletics and education.

"When kid leave the school system and come to the campus they will be able to come to [not only] a fun environment, but one they are learning in," DeLeo said.

DeLeo said that an exhibits committee is now forming to create its timeline. He added that the museum will most likely include three or four major exhibits that "greet you when you walk in the door" as well as other smaller exhibits and areas of interaction.

He said that there will be some "rhyme or reason to the layout."

According to DeLeo, the exhibits committee has been working with an exhibit expert who works for Lego and has volunteered his time to lead the way on the exhibit area.

The second phase of the capital campaign will concentrate on the exhibits. For example, DeLeo said that the Board hopes to attract donors that can sponsor specific exhibits. For example, if there is a medical area, it will seek out local hospitals or if there is a bank area, local banks would be sought out as sponsors.

"Those relationships make sure the exhibits are set up [and don't become] stale," DeLeo said, adding that the idea is to make sure there is a future in them.

He explained that, as things change, the exhibits will have an opportunity to evolve over time and "stay fresh."

There may be some naming opportunities with some of the exhibits.

"We are actually just starting to do a survey on that now and feel out that side to it," he said.

According to DeLeo, the Board will "really kick-off" phase two of the campaign after the groundbreaking.

"We are going to re-group and concentrate on the exhibit side," he said.

DeLeo said that the goal is to have the museum ready in a year. He added that construction will probably take nine to 11 months, some of which will include parts of the exhibits. He added that once the building is complete, it may take 30 to 60 days to complete the exhibits.

DeLeo said that the community is always welcome to offer suggestions. He explained that the museum and Boys and Girls Club are always looking for volunteers at multiple levels.

He said that it does not matter if someone has an hour they can give, a week, or if they want to become more involved.

Volunteers with expertise in fund-raising, exhibit design, event coordination, strategic planning, marketing and other areas are needed to help the DWCM. To volunteer, call Jennifer Kinsman, executive director of the DWCM, at (413) 572-4014.