Mini-golf course proposed for Burnaby Village to allow for free museum admission

An 18-hole mini-golf course at Burnaby Village Museum is being considered as part of plans to allow for free admission starting this year, the museum's 40th anniversary.

The loss of revenues from ticket sales, memberships, school programs (if teachers decide to do self-guided tours instead) and grants is expected to be $315,500 this year, according to a city staff report.

While recognizing the anniversary, council asked staff to look into ways attendance and interest in the museum could be increased, both as a historical resource and an attraction, the report said.

"For Burnaby, the institution of no-charge museum admission would clearly be a very significant initiative."

While Richmond Museum offers free admission and the Surrey Museum plans to become free this year, a survey of outdoor museums similar to Burnaby's finds that no-charge admission is "uncommon."

In addition to the loss of gate revenues, such a change would also add $100,000 in expenses for the increased need that would result in staffing, supplies, design support, maintenance, janitorial and grounds services and marketing.

On the other hand, if admission is free, it's anticipated visitors would spend more on goods and services during their visits.

That's where the mini-golf course comes in.

The course is expected to cost $70,000 to build in the "rural zone area" south of the Love Farmhouse on the east end of the site. Historic displays of outdoor artifacts and display panels "could expose chapters in Burnaby's history, making the mini-golf experience more integrated with the museum setting." It's expected to bring in $15,000 in annual revenues.

An expansion of the Ice Cream Parlour restaurant on site to allow it to include an outdoor patio is proposed to cost $160,000. It is projected that a 50 per cent increase in attendance could yield $11,000 in net profit, a 100 per cent jump in attendance net profit of $51,000 and an attendance increase of 150 per cent, $103,000 in net profit.

It's proposed that the Burnaby Farmers Market be moved this year from the city hall parking lot to the museum grounds to attract visitors to the site.

In the plans for 2012 are a $100,000-expansion of the gift shop, to be located at the main gate, and offering a multilingual tour through hand-held devices, a service that would require an estimated investment of $250,000.

In addition to approaching corporations, businesses and associations to sponsor aspects of the museum, village buildings could be equipped to sell products such as specialty food items and curios, the report said.

Under the plan, an additional $30,500 is expected to be generated in gift shop sales, mini-golf sales, donations, group guided tours and carousel memberships.

The proposal would then require a $385,000 net increase in city funding to the museum. The changes would be evaluated at the end of the year.

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com