The Miner’s Institute Foundation was recently awarded a $1,000 matching grant from Landmarks Illinois’ Preservation Heritage Fund.
The grant will be used to help purchase a new boiler for the Miner’s Institute building, Leah Joyce, Vice President of the Miner’s Institute Foundation, said. The boiler is expected to cost $60,000.
Photo by Roger Starkey
The Landmarks Illinois Preservation Heritage Fund was created in 2004 to grant money to preserve or protect significant structures or sites in the state. The Miner’s Institute was included on Landmarks Illinois’ 2013 Ten Most Endangered Historic Places list in April.
The boiler is the foundation’s highest priority because there is currently no heating system in the building. If the boiler is not replaced by winter, the foundation said in a press release, chilling temperatures will cause deterioration of the building and cause the newly installed fire suppression system pipes to freeze and burst.
Joyce said the foundation has raised other funds in the last few months through various fundraisers and private donations and plans to raise the remaining funds needed through additional fundraisers and a grant request submitted for a corporate contribution from a large Collinsville based company. Upcoming events include all-you-can-eat fundraisers on Sundays at Bert’s Chuckwagon and a booth at the Italian Fest, Joyce said.
In 2009, the Collinsville Area Recreation District acquired the Miner’s Theatre from the foundation and began renovations. CARD later determined it would not be able to continue funding the rehabilitation and ownership was transferred back to the foundation this spring.
“It’s really exciting to see, in just the few short months since the building was transferred back to the Miner’s Institute Foundation, how much progress has been made,” Joyce said. “We went from eight to 32 members. We really pulled in a lot of professionals who are dedicated to moving the project forward.”
The immediate goal of the foundation is to get the boiler in place by winter. The long-term goal is to get the building ready to open, Joyce said. The tentative target for re-opening the Miner’s Theatre is its 100th anniversary in 2018.
“CARD made so many important improvements to the project,” Joyce said. “For us to move backwards now would be counter-productive.”
