The Province of B.C. recently issued a Request for Proposal to lease the Grist Mill properties.
In an effort to make provincially owned heritage properties self-sufficient, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Resource Operations developed the RFP for the purpose of selecting a succsssful proponent with whom to negotiate a lease agreement. The ministry hopes to attract “local governments, First Nations, School Districts, individuals, businesses, organizations or a combination of the above” with a proposal for use of the Grist Mill property.
The site is presently operated as a museum under the management of Chris Mathieson, under a general services contract which ends in March 2015.
The RFP does not stipulate the property be used as a historic site, only that the “new use will be economically viable, will have a public benefit component, will not depend on the government financially, or will significantly reduce financial dependence on the government.”
Deadline for proposals is September 26.
Present operator Chris Mathieson would not comment on the RFP .