(Milford)– Some big plans are in the works for a lakes area museum.
Jerry Clark of the Clark Family Museum told the Dickinson county board of supervisors Tuesday plans are in the works to move the museum from the northwest edge of Milford to a brand new facility to be built on the former Boji Bay site at the junction of Highways 71 and 86 in north Milford.
The museum in the past has been supported entirely by the Clark family. But Jerry Clark says they’re going to need some additional assistance for the relocation project to become a reality. He’s requesting 50-thousand dollars from the county.
Dan Wells, one of the investors developing the former Boji Bay property, accompanied Clark at Tuesday’s meeting. He said they’re planning to put up a two or three-story building that would house the Clark Family Museum and possibly a roller skating rink. Wells said he’s talking with the owner of artifacts from the old Fun House in the Arnolds Park Amusement Park–including the barrel, slide and sugar bowl. He says they’re planning to include those in the facility as well.
Wells added he’ll be meeting with representatives of the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum to get their feedback.
He says the facility would be built adjacent to some condo-hotel complexes that may also be built on the site. Wells says whether or not those will actually be constructed depends on the findings of a study being done by a twin cities consulting firm.
A strip mall has also been planned for the site along with a Perkins Restaurant, already under construction. Wells said Tuesday they’re also looking into the possibility of building some log cabin-type motel rooms or condos on the site, which will also include the original lazy lagoon from Boji Bay.
The supervisors took no action Tuesday on the museum’s funding request.
