Summerland Museum Society seeking permission to use money bequeathed to them for purposes other than indicated

Photo: Contributed

A Summerland society has filed a legal petition to use funds left to it in a local woman's will for something more than she designated.

The Summerland Museum and Archives society is seeking permission from the Attorney General of B.C. to amend the wishes left in Doreen Tait's will. Tait left them 35 per cent of her estate when she died in October 2006, amounting to nearly $180,000, along with her collection of nearly 100 pieces of art known as the "Tait Collection."

In her will, according to a petition filed in Penticton court on April 6, 2021, Tait allotted the money for "building of proper storage racks for artwork within the museum."

Since then, the society did as she asked — they constructed storage racks at a cost of roughly $15,000 and some fireproof cabinets for the storage of the Tait Collection at approximately $21,600.

But that leaves a sizeable sum the society would now like to have access to for other, but related, projects.

"It is unlikely that the museum will require further storage racks, nor is there currently space within the museum to build further storage racks," reads the petitions from the society.

"Therefore, it is impractical or impossible for the society to utilize the bequest as stated."

Tait was a lifetime resident of Summerland and a longtime volunteer with the original Summerland Museum Group, with a passion for collecting pieces from B.C. artists, the petition says.

The society now wants to use the remaining $142,778 from Tait's financial gift to them for preservation of artwork, maintenance and upgrades including re-matting and re-framing to pieces in the Tait Collection, adding a power operator to the entry door of the museum to increase accessibility and improving lighting in the main gallery of the museum.

They would also like to use $75,000 of that chunk to enclose the current receiving area of the museum.

"The current uncovered loading dock is not suitable for loaning and exhibiting the Tait Collection," the petition reads.

"This work would include laying a concrete slab, enclosing the existing loading area with walls and roof to match."

Should they be granted permission to use the remaining funds, the society intends to fundraise to cover any additional costs that exceed the amount of the gift.