Cape children's museum gets $10,000; opening delayed to 'late spring'

A $10,000 check from the Bank of Missouri will advance renovations on the Discovery Playhouse, Cape Girardeau's children's museum.

Work on the former Walthers building at 502 Broadway continues, with every infusion of cash giving it a boost, according to Martha Brown, president of the Southeast Missouri Children's Museum Board of Directors, which will operate the Discovery Playhouse.

The sluggish economy has hurt donations, she said, and slow funding caused Discovery Playhouse's opening date to be bumped from late March or early April to "late spring," with no specific date set. The Bank of Missouri's donation brings the total raised so far to $174,000 toward a $500,000 goal.

The Discovery Playhouse has gotten $250,000 in state tax credits under the Neighborhood Assistance Program and has an additional $150,000 available. Brown said the money will be used partly for renovating the Walthers building but mainly to purchase it.

"We're trying to keep our renovation costs under $200,000 so we can buy the building," she said.

In an effort to be frugal, Brown said, the museum took advantage of the demolition of the K's Merchandise building on Broadview Street.

"We bought all the bathroom fixtures, the heating and cooling unit and light fixtures before they tore it down," she said. "We got those at a good price."

She said Discover Playhouse will open after the first level of the Walthers building is renovated.

"Then we'll work on the upper levels and expand them," she said. Much recent work, such replacing the building's roof and clearing weeds and debris from the property, has been completed by volunteers, with board vice president Kevin Priester, an Alliance Water Resources manager, acting as the general contractor. But Brown said the next steps require professional contractors to do electrical wiring, install a sprinkler system and heating ductwork, complete bathroom renovations and replace windows.

"We're working with lot of contractors to get them to volunteer to donate some things, like services," she said.

Exhibits planned for the playhouse will include a 1952 firetruck "that kids will be able to climb up on and work the lights;" a toddler play area; an ATM kiosk rigged to dispense play money; a Schnucks-sponsored grocery set up, which she was among the playhouse's most popular exhibit during its West Park Mall days; and a fitness area sponsored by Southeast Missouri Hospital.

The museum has a six-year lease on the Walthers building, with an option to buy it for $300,000, Brown said.

She said she's working with the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau to develop a fundraiser to coincide with the upcoming Storytelling Festival.

"But we still need the support of the community," she said.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

388-3646

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