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Alton Mill Arts Centre constantly keeping an eye on the future

April 18, 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

“We think we did the right thing for the building; we felt it would be best to have arts studios, host private functions and have a restaurant. Our aim is to keep the doors open. Technically, this is a for- profit business. We are very much motivated but it doesn’t always happen.” These were the initial comments from Jeremy and Jordan Grant, brothers and co-owners of the Alton Mill Arts Centre.

It was their father who bought the antique mill in 1989. The Grant brothers took it over with the idea of making an arts centre of it. This followed consideration of possibilities, with notions of using it as an extension to the accommodation of the Millcroft Inn, a seniors residence, condominiums. However, all these were waylaid by zoning regulations. This has also put a pause on having an actual restaurant as part the Mill’s planning at that time. 

They went on to renovate and renew extensively, applying for and getting some grants for restoring the heritage building. By 1997, it was ready to be used as a commercial place. 

Said Jordan Grant, “They put a hold on the zoning and restricted the restaurant. Originally the town said they were putting in the ‘pipe’; then, they changed their minds when they were doing an environmental assessment. It would have cost $30 million to run a pipe into Alton. It was a price that was impossible.”

He went on to expand on how they are managing to find other ways, “We’re investigating doing something about the sewage issue at a price we can afford. We have very limited land area but we could use composting toilets and grey water. In part, we haven’t been able to implement our full business plan and we’re actively working on that.”

Once Jeremy Grant told the Citizen that, in those early days, “an artist contacted us and said ‘if you will build it, I will come.’ We put up three walls and he came. Then, other artists came. It grew organically from there.” 

By 2009, he said then, “The building was finally completed.”

Of those days, he said in this interview, “We had a lot of turn over [of artists renting studios] at the beginning and, then, very little turn over. This year there was quite a turn over but, now, we are fully leased. The studio artists do a lot of art lessons and the studios seem to be quite stable. 

“Next is to find a way to increase the number of functions held here, although there are restriction with functions as to how many people we can accommodate. We have weddings and corporate meetings. During the week is better for corporate meetings.”

For catering, “We have a list of preferred caterers. We don’t take anything from what they earn but they return that with participation in our own functions. 

“This is a good arrangement because they know what they’re doing within the building. People can still bring in their own caterers.

“That part of the business is good but there is certainly room to grow.”

As to the needs of their tenants, he told us, “The main floor is more of challenge. They rely on traffic coming to the Mill, whereas the galleries bring people in. Everybody is vitally interested in keeping the Mill in the public eye.”

One of the best ways of achieving that is signage. 

Said Jeremy, “Peel Region has tourism signs but only four are allowed in the entire region – not nearly enough, given the huge [area] involved and multiple routes to get to Alton. Dufferin County’s program is pretty basic with logos allowed on their signs, unlike Peel’s sign program.

“Caledon did a tourism strategy about five years ago, which said Alton has real potential… [It] recommended …. tourism and community facility “wayfinding” signage…to help people find their way. This would support local businesses, the economy and jobs. While the Alton Mill is on the Caledon and Headwaters Tourism websites, we would love Caledon to implement a tourism signage program, as it would be one more way for people to find us and other tourism oriented businesses.

“We do surveys on how people find us and even with Google Maps, roadside signage is always one of the main ways people end up in Alton.”

About printed matter, “We know that people pick up flyers and so many take the Headwaters magazine. That was a service that Headwaters offered but they cut back on that.”

The Grants know that concerts are a good draw too. “We ‘re hoping now will start more concerts. We’re looking to find a person who organizes performers to bring more concerts. We had violinist, Anne Lindsay here. She was wonderful and had a good audience.”

Jordan explained what they have in mind for the future: “In order to complete the business plan to make the Mill financially viable, we plan to add a destination restaurant in the space overlooking the pond and put a roof over the Annex to accommodate more and larger events. That requires an investment in a new sewage treatment system and expansion of our parking areas.We are thinking of raising the money to complete the work through a new first mortgage on the mill, privately syndicated to local ‘accredited’ investors.”

They commented, “Our ambitions are to build it as a destination. We aspire to be a nationally recognized destination.”

They asked us to remind our readers of their upcoming Spring Open House, themed on Spring Thaw – A Botanical Celebration on the first weekend of May, May 4 and 5.

The house café will be open, and a local food truck (your favourite bbq) will be on hand. So, there will plenty of food and beverages. 

Jeremy assured us, “We have a pretty good program with lots of additional activities – includes indoor and outdoor. All the galleries and studios will open with the artists on deck. Several workshops – it will be really wonderful.”

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