Staff
With Canada marking its 150th birthday in 2017, the clock is ticking for the Fort Frances Museum and a local group of volunteers to get ready for the celebration.
The next planning meeting for the “Canada 150” exhibit at the museum will be held there this Thursday (Sept. 1) at 6 p.m.
An informal group has come together to begin planning the exhibit, which will follow the theme “transportation,” as well as think of events and programming, said museum curator Sherry George.
But it’s not too late to get involved—and Thursday’s meeting is the perfect opportunity to hop aboard.
“We’re looking for ideas, we’re looking for stories, we’re looking for any thoughts on what people think we can do around this theme [‘Canada 150’],” noted George.
“We’re interested in anything,” she stressed.
“Hopefully we can have a great year next year.”
Some details of the “transportation” exhibit already have started to come together.
The museum will borrow a bush plane exhibit from the one in Kenora, which includes a virtual plane set-up and flying simulator, but also will incorporate locally-relevant information on bush planes.
George said there are many local enthusiasts who can help build the exhibit to reflect a broader picture of transportation history here.
They have expressed a keen interest in trains, steamboats, boat building, commercial fishing boats, canoes, kayaks, and vintage automobiles.
Beyond the exhibit, the museum also wants to run activities from next April right through to October, so they’re at least partially going to tie into the school year.
George added not all the events have to tie into the transportation theme—some simply may have to do with celebrating local culture and history.
The town will be applying for various grants in anticipation of “Canada 150,” and already has been approved to hire a “Canada 150” intern to co-ordinate programming tying into next year’s celebrations.
George said she expects interviews for that position to take place in the next week or so.
This intern will be vital in helping plan community events such as a winter carnival and Canada Day, she noted.
The former will be done in co-operation with Couchiching FN and Sunset Country Métis while the latter will be planned with the “Fun in the Sun” committee.
Questions? Call George at 274-7891.
In other museum news, the Métis Nation of Ontario, in partnership with the Fort Frances Museum and Gizhewaadiziwin Health Access Centre, is hosting the first of four Métis beading gatherings tomorrow.
Everyone is invited come to the museum from 1-3 p.m. for a fun, social afternoon to increase their knowledge of Métis traditional skills and culture.
“Knowledge Holders” will be on hand and all supplies will be provided.
Children 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
Activities will be provided for children and a healthy snack will be provided to all participants.
This first workshop will be followed by ones on Sept. 14, Oct. 12, and Nov. 9.
For more information, call Anne-Marie Armstrong at 274-1386.
