Plans are on hold to build the Waynesboro campus of the Virginia Museum of Natural History after funding for construction has not been included in the state’s proposed biennial budget.
Plans for a two-story, 25,000-square-foot museum have been discussed in Waynesboro since 2014, and while the city and museum are “optimistic” the project will eventually happen, there is no guarantee.
Construction was initially put on hold due to the pandemic as the state reallocated funding for capital projects elsewhere. City officials expected funding to be included in the state’s biennial budget which has not been finalized.
While the budget hasn’t been adopted, Waynesboro City Manager Mike Hamp said funding this cycle is “unlikely.”
“Unfortunately, it seems, at present, unlikely that funding for construction of the museum will be included in the next state biennial budget,” said Hamp. “It will be necessary to adjust the timeline for the project.”
When the project was first introduced, a summer 2025 completion date was the goal. Due to the delays, however, the construction start date was pushed back until 2025. Now, when and if the project will get off the ground, is anyone’s guess.
Hamp said that politics and state priorities come into play with the lack of funding.
“The less than desirable outcome is attributable to a changing political landscape, changing composition of the General Assembly, some guarded pessimism regarding the economy among legislators and evolving fiscal priorities in Richmond both in the legislative and executive branches,” Hamp told AFP.
Hamp said that the city and VMNH staff have maintained regular communication with local representatives in the General Assembly, the Governor’s office and key individuals in the Department of Education.
“Recently the final allocation of design/A&E funding was provided to the project,” Hamp said. “The full commitment to fund the design of the project, we believe, signals the credibility of and prospects for the project at the state level.”
Hamp said that work will continue to cultivate support among regional entities and “build support for the opportunity.”
“Our relationship with the VMNH spans more than a decade; the VMNH and city staff continue to be optimistic, even confident, about realizing success with this project,” said Hamp.
Once funding is allocated for construction of the Waynesboro campus, it will take approximately two years to build the museum planned at the corner of Main Street and Arch Avenue in downtown Waynesboro.
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Crystal Graham
