Ottawa-Carleton youth lose out in battle over funds
By Brian Salisbury
It’s a communication gap that’s costing more than just headaches for the Canadian Museum of Nature and its former volunteer arm, the everGreen Fund.
It’s costing Ottawa’s youth, as well.
Tens of thousands of dollars intended to go toward environmental education for youth are sitting in a trust account, untouched since 1994 because of a soured relationship between the museum and everGreen.
More than $30,000 was raised in the early 1990s by everGreen through galas and art auctions for the purpose of donating the proceeds to the museum’s environmental education for youth programs.
The account now stands at $35,000 with interest, and none of it has been spent on environmental education for youth. The museum needs approval from everGreen to spend the money.
“They can’t spend it without us,” trumpets Ian Hogg, founding chair of everGreen, who says the museum was ungrateful toward the volunteers.
“They started canceling things we were doing and we just got shoved to the side.
“If the institution you’re trying to help doesn’t want you involved, it’s pretty tough to keep volunteers.”
Nonetheless, Hogg says he and other volunteers have been trying unsuccessfully to get in touch with museum directors for the last year-and-a-half.
“We’ve put calls in to the museum, but nobody’s heard from them–no letters, phone calls or anything,” says Hogg.
Museum officials balk at Hogg’s interpretation.
“That’s simply not true,” says Joanne DiCosimo, who became the new president of the museum July 1. “He did call, but it wasn’t about the trust fund.”
The last documented contact between everGreen and the museum was in the summer of 1995.
A letter from then-president Alan Emery was sent to everGreen chairman Stella Torontow outlining museum program proposals to which everGreen was to decide upon. The only response from Torontow was a letter notifying the museum she was going away for the summer, and the matter would be discussed when she got back.
Torontow, currently traveling in Europe, could not be reached for comment.
Museum officials are puzzled by the gap in communication that has ensued.
“Communications between the previous administration and the administration of everGreen hit a wall, and I have no idea why,” says Colin Eades, museum vice-president.
Eades says the museum hopes to get in touch with Torontow, “to find out if the damage (to the relationship) is irreparable or not, and to jointly agree on how to dispense the funds.”
DiCosimo says plans for the $35,000 have not yet been identified.
“In the process of planning for the (1998-1999) fiscal year we will identify several different options, and then get in touch with everGreen.”
Hogg, however, is not so sure of DiCosimo’s plan. “The way the museum has been treating us, we just don’t feel we should rush into giving recommendations on how to spend the funds.
“They don’t seem to be able to run their own show.”