Duane Hicks
Lauren Hyatt wants make the Fort Frances Museum “a place for the community to be” during Canada’s 150th birthday and beyond.
The new programming and events co-ordinator started the position last Wednesday, and already she’s looking forward to getting local residents engaged in their history over the next year.
“I really want to become involved in the community and make sure that arts is a vibrant part of the community, as well as the history,” stressed Hyatt, noting she wants to make local history “a living history.”
“I want people to engage with their history rather than just have it as something that’s stuck on a wall,” she explained.
“With all of the programming, I want them to engage with their history; I want them to engage with current events that are happening,” Hyatt added.
“So much of this town’s history, and the history of Canada in general, is still active in our daily lives.”
Hyatt wants to find artistic and creative ways to do this, whether it be through drama, visual art, or anything else.
“We are inviting the community here,” she remarked.
“This is a place for the community to be, and we want to make it a place for the community to be.”
Hyatt, originally from South Africa, moved to Alberta in 2008, where she completed a B.F.A in Drama Performance at the University of Lethbridge.
She then got her Masters of Arts in Drama at the University of Alberta.
She has worked at Theatre Calgary, both for the company and as an actor, as well as the Edmonton Opera.
Hyatt moved to Burriss this summer along with her husband, Jeff, whom she met in Alberta but who grew up in Devlin and attended school in Fort Frances.
Museum curator Sherry George said she’s “ecstatic” to have Hyatt on staff for the next year.
“She will head up our interactive programming initiative begun by Julia Piskiewicz and Jeremy Hughes, which will introduce interactive components into our permanent exhibit themes through the use of tablets—three fixed and 10 portable—for visitors and classroom use,” George explained.
“She will also oversee arts programming, and any events or programming around our Canada 150 exhibits.”
George said one example of the latter is a winter carnival slated for Family Day weekend in February at the Point Park/Sand Bay area.
It’s hoped the carnival will features all sorts of heritage activities like pond hockey, jam-pail curling, ice fishing, and snowshoe races, to name a few.
Another example is a museum exhibit that will focus on Freemasonry from January through March.
“We’re hoping to do something with young people,” George noted.
“Hopefully, we can get some Masons here to do a reception but we’d also hope to some fun activities, too.
“She [Hyatt] is going to be able to oversee our social media, keeping that out there, and just helping with lots of things,” George added.
The one-year position is being funded through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp.
