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Executive Director - Janesville Wisconsin
Company: Association of Children's Museums Location: Janesville, Wisconsin
Posted On: 01/27/2025
The Children's Museum of Rock County (CMRC) is a volunteer-powered emerging museum. CMRC has been in the works in one form or another since 2006 when members of the Leadership Development Academy identified a children's museum as a pressing community need.The (then) Janesville Children's Museum was set to launch in 2008/09 until the Great Recession hit in autumn 2008 and General Motors announced the closure of the Janesville plant in December 2008. As one of the major employers of the area, this closure had an indescribable impact on the local economy and plans for a children's museum were put on hold.In 2018, CMRC secured a starter space at Uptown Janesville (Janesville Mall) due to the generosity of the owner, RockStep Capital. Plans to start hosting programming and building out this space were put on hold when the 2020 COVID protocols were put into place.During that same year, local stakeholders began expressing interest in building the children's museum in the downtown area. At this stage the Board of Directors began retooling efforts and explored various location possibilities, eventually landing on 100 W. Milwaukee Street, a historic bank building.The BuildingThe museum will be located in the historic First National Bank at 100 W. Milwaukee Street. This architectural cornerstone of downtown Janesville was originally built in 1907, then rebuilt in 1912. The building served as a premier financial institution for the community for 110 years, most recently by JP Morgan Chase.Preservation of the original bank building's facade serves as an important representation of the community, its values, and its history. As such, construction of the Children's Museum will consist of restoring and repurposing the bank building to serve as an "anchor," while demolishing the 1970s drive-up addition to construct more usable space.Additionally, its location near the heart of Janesville, a central spot in Rock County, is optimal for serving the community. The adaptive reuse of 100 W. Milwaukee Street will not only give it new life, it also will play a major role in the revitalization of downtown Janesville.The Rock Renaissance Area Redevelopment and Implementation Strategy (ARISE) assesses the redevelopment opportunities in downtown Janesville and along the Rock River. The ARISE Plan provides guidance on these development strategies, priorities, needs, and opportunities. Construction of a children's museum at 100 W. Milwaukee Street falls neatly into this plan supporting three (3) out of four (4) of the plan's goals: Make the downtown the heart of the community and a fun, vibrant and healthy place to live, work and visit for a wide spectrum of the community. Preserve the historical character and authenticity of the downtown. Facilitate new investment and redevelopment with a market driven and action-oriented strategy.Moreover, this project supports objectives identified in the City of Janesville's 2021-2025 Strategic Plan by drawing people downtown and encouraging diversity in the development of downtown businesses and activities while also establishing a niche experience.The development of this location was specifically identified in a 2021 downtown market opportunity study as the highest development priority among various catalyst sites and as an ideal space for a children's museum with the museum itself serving as a key, near-term driver for the continued revitalization of downtown.The CommunityJanesville is located in Rock County, Wisconsin. Janesville is the most central city in the county, largest city in the county (63,575 pop.), and serves as the county seat. It is conveniently located within driving distance of Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, and several cities in-between.The city has a strong history of industry and is well known for its abundance of beautiful parks and recreational areas. Handy boat launches, numerous ball fields, playgrounds, two public golf courses, tennis courts, over 2,600 acres of parkland and 25+ miles of paved bike trail are just some of the amenities enjoyed by Janesville residents. Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.Janesville is also located along a stretch of the Ice Age Trail and hosts several festivals, events, and activities throughout the year.Popular attractions include: - Live music in the park during summers
- Rock County 4-H fair (the oldest 4-H fair in the country!)
- Janesville's Jolly Jingle
- Rotary Botanical Gardens
- Rock Aqua Jay ski showsThe VisionPLAY is our motto. The CMRC is dedicated to helping families grow through play. It is a place where children, their families and community are encouraged to experience the joy of learning through play in their environment and beyond.What does that mean to us?
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