Site preparation is well underway, and work crews have been busy dismantling the Dionne home for its move to the waterfront on Sunday November 19th.
“November 19 is when you’ll see the home on its transporter, and lowered onto its new home’s foundation,” Ed Valenti, chair of the Dionne Quints Heritage Board said at the North Bay City Council meeting Tuesday night. “It’s been a long process and somewhat difficult, but we managed to make it a go and we’re all happy with that.”
Movers hope to complete the task early in the morning in three pieces, to avoid traffic associated with the Santa Claus parade.
See: Practice your ho ho ho's. Santa Parade date announced
The Dionne Quints home remains mired in controversy about how funding will be sustained.
City council was surprised last meeting to be asked for $35,000 to cover operational costs for the first year,
Some members of council were surprised and disappointed by the presentation made by Valenti, asking for funding considering they were under the impression the Quints Home would be more of a static display or at least funded by community support—or higher levels of government, not the municipality.
See: Dionne Home on the move; council fears 'bait and switch'
Donations to the Friends of the Dionne Quintuplets Museum gofundme page have stalled with just $5,000 of the $50,000 goal reached.
However, Valenti, chair of the Dionne Quints Heritage Board told council he expects donations to pick up once people can see the move has actually been accomplished.
