Fashion History Museum in Cambridge packs up as city terminates lease

The co-founders of the Fashion History Museum in Cambridge say their focus is on packing its collection in a very short amount of time after the city ended its lease last week. 

The City of Cambridge announced on Friday that it "made the difficult decision to end the Fashion History Museum's lease at 74 Queen St. E. due to significant unpaid rent totalling approximately $140,000 since June 2023, costs which would transfer to the taxpayer."

Jonathan Walford and Kenn Norman, co-founders of the Fashion History Museum, said they were shocked by the city's decision because they thought they had come up with an offer that was "a good, happy medium."

"We never heard back," Walford, who is also the museum's director and curator, told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition host Craig Norris of their discussions with the city. "We just got the eviction notice instead."

The museum's staff, with the help of volunteers, are now focused on packing up more than 11,000 garments and accessories, 7,000 books, hundreds of mannequins, and office equipment. Walford and Norman say the collection will be moved to multiple secure locations until the museum finds a new home.

Museum couldn't receive grants after falling behind on rent

Walford said the city ending the museum's lease is a result of differing points of view.

"What we're seeing the situation [as], is not how the city sees it," he said.

Walford explained the museum had an agreement with the city. After a change in municipal council, the city ceased funding for the museum, while continuing to charge rent. He said the museum's rent was covered only until 2023. 

Alana Russell, the director of communications for the office of the city manager, told CBC News the museum's lease agreement "was not contingent on them receiving grant funding."

"In order to receive grant funding, the FHM would need to be in good financial standing. As they had accumulated arrears on their rent, their ability to compete for grants was ultimately impacted, as is the case with all groups applying for access to grant funds."

Walford said that museums "don't pay rent," citing other museums in the region. 

"Every museum here … they pay a dollar a year. It's a symbolic gesture to have ownership of the building," he said. "We have been charged $80,000 a year."

In the news release, the city said, "the FHM operates out of the main floor level in a commercial lease agreement." 

"The museum curators live on-site in a second-floor apartment suite, and have not provided payment for the space, as agreed to in their lease. The city is not in a position to provide an apartment suite to the FHM for its staff or others to live rent free," the city said.

Russell said lease terminations are always "a last resort," and that the museum was provided with options including "reduced rent payments, partial payment forgiveness, and a repayment plan."

"The city acknowledges the contributions that arts and culture organizations make to our community, but feel it would be unjust to continue to accumulate arrears and undue expenses to the community," the city said.

'A lot of work to be done,' Walford says

With less than two weeks left before they need to vacate the building, Walford said the museum is packing its collection with "a great deal of sensitivity."

"We hold these items in public trust," he said.

"We have volunteer conservators and curators of other institutions … coming in to help to pack things up and, and to get things safely organized." he added. "It's a chore. There's a lot of work to be done."

Norman said they've secured warehouses and commercial spaces to try and store the collection as they figure out what's next. He said the special nature of many of the items in the collection make moving them particularly difficult.

"[There's a] beautiful display case that we have within the museum that came from Galt. It's an Edwardian display case," Norman said. "It's about 26 feet long … how do we move that?"

Walford said their priority right now is making sure they're able to move everything out of the Queen Street E. building as carefully as possible.

"The focus is just ... getting the collection out, getting the library out, and getting it into a safe space as quickly, efficiently, and safe as possible," he added.

A 'blip' in history: Norman

Norman said he is thankful for all the connections the museum has built throughout its 20 years in Cambridge.

"It's a blip in the history," he said. "We have loved being in Cambridge, and establishing ourselves here."

"It's just been an incredible experience to partner with so many of the community leaders here, not just our colleagues in the museum field, but also with Explore Waterloo, and bringing in tourism," Norman added.

While the museum has not found a new home, Walford said what will happen next, or where the museum will end up depends on the museum's board of directors.

"I can't tell you what we're doing, but we are working on a future," he said. "As we know, we've got the place until midnight on March the 31st, 11:59 p.m."

As for the building space the museum will be vacating, the city has not said how the space will be used moving forward.

"While we regret that a resolution could not be met, we will turn our attention to how to best utilize the space in the future," the city said in the release.