Fort St. John’s storied history is about to become far more accessible for handicapped and senior visitors.
Northern Development Initiative Trust’s board of directors in July approved a $68,545 grant to fund upgrades at the North Peace Museum that include a wheelchair friendly entrance with automatic doors, new washrooms and carpeting throughout the interior of the museum.
The museum, located in the heart of Fort St. John, tells the story of the multiple centuries of history in the area from First Nations settlements to the oil and gas industries of today. The museum is home to more than 6,000 artifacts as well as archival documents and photographers, and features a teepee, trapper’s cabin, blacksmith shop, 1920s era school room, 1930s dentist office, missionary chapel, general store and B.C. Police Barracks, among many other attractions.
The upgrades will modernize the museum, making it more attractive to visitors who live in the region and travel along the world famous Alaska Highway. The total project budget is $116,052.
The North Peace Historical Society, which operates the museum, has committed to contributing the remaining $47,507 needed to complete the upgrades. The project was approved under the Trust’s Economic Diversification Infrastructure program, which provides up to $250,000 in funding to municipalities, regional districts, First Nations and non-profit organizations in Northern Development’s service area.
Quotes
“These upgrades will make the North Peace Museum that much more attractive and accessible to visitors travelling to Fort St. John along the Alaska Highway, and will help generate new revenue that supports the local economy and ensures that the local history of the area is recognized for years to come,” said Evan Saugstad, Chair, Northern Development Initiative Trust.
“We have a rich and diverse history. It is imperative that we continue to inform our visitors and residents and celebrate that history. The staff and volunteers of the North Peace Museum and Historical Society are to be commended for the work they have done to this end,” said City of Fort St. John Mayor Lori Ackerman.
“This grant will make the museum more user-friendly for people with disabilities, seniors and young families with strollers. In our 30th year in this building, we are happy that the Northern Development Initiative Trust has enabled us to modernize the museum and make it a place where residents and tourists can access the history of the North Peace,” said Heather Longworth, museum manager/curator, Fort St. John North Peace Museum.
Quick Facts
• Northern Development has already approved 17 projects through the Economic Diversification Infrastructure program in 2014, with a combined total funding commitment of $3,621,283
• The North Peace Museum is home to more than 6,000 artifacts
• The upgrades to the museum include a wheelchair accessible entrance, new washrooms and carpeting
• The project is expected to help the museum generate $90,000 in new revenue over a five year period
• The total cost of the upgrades is $116,052
Contact
Joel McKay
Director, Communications
Northern Development Initiative Trust
joel@northerndevelopment.bc.ca
Phone: 250-561-2525
Heather Longworth
Museum Manager/Curator
Fort St. John North Peace Museum
fsjnpmuseum@fsjmail.com
Phone: 250-787-0430
