Public Meetings Concerning PEI Heritage and Museums

The Institute of Island Studies (IIS) is bringing museum and heritage professionals together with the general public to discuss the current museum/artifactory issue. We will gather information on public perceptions, concerns, and positions and make this information available to the public and our elected decision-makers. Our initiative provides Islanders’ with an opportunity for consultation and discussion on public policy for heritage use, protection and education.

IIS is hosting public forums in eastern, western and central PEI in early March to facilitate discussion around several points:

- a strategic plan for provincial museum development : how that might happen through a public process, and what the key elements might be

- whether or not a moratorium on the proposed artifactory move is advisable until a publicly developed strategic plan for the storage and use of Islanders' heritage artifacts is put in place. At this point key funding for the move has not been approved.

- the value of a capital city, provincial museum and its ability to augment the diversity and individual strengths of our current small, seasonal museums, and what basic criteria such an institution should meet

You are encouraged to attend our meetings and to put forth your input as to the future of heritage use, research , exhibition and education on PEI. Meetings will be held:

Charlottetown on March 7th, 7pm at Murphy's Community Centre Room 205.
200 Richmond St. (former Basilica Rec.)

Miscouche on March 8th, 7pm at Musee Acadien, Route 2

St. Peters on March 13th at Dr. Roddie Community Centre, 7pm

We would also encourage you to visit the PEI Museum blog at http://peimuseum.blogspot.com to post your comments/input or write directly to us at ourheritage@upei.ca.

Thank-you, we hope to see you there.

Please forward this email to anyone and everyone.

"this Island is worthy of having a strong central body . . . to preserve, research and interpret our culture"

by Catherine Hennessey, founding executive director of the PEI Heritage Foundation - from research on the history of heritage preservation on PEI - January 2006.

Having been involved in the preservation of our culture and heritage for over about 40 years I find myself reviewing our past decisions and wondering. I do believe we have many of the bones in place to build on and we should not let them disappear or let go of the ideas expressed by caring people over the years.

I cannot let go of the idea that this Island is worthy of having a strong central body that will as the Heritage Foundation intended - to preserve, research and intetpret our culture for ourselves and then to share that richness with our visitors. I have come to believe that this can only happen with a centrally located “museum” - whatever that means in 2006. What it means to me is a staff with some professional training who have the ability to multitask. It might mean being taken into the fold by others or by taking others into the fold. It should not mean that there would not be exhibitions held in other venues across the province or even the city. What it should mean is that historic artifacts would be catalogued, studied and preserved and often exhibited, by people trained to do so. It should mean too, that dedicated people who will give time and energy to the cause will be assisted in their efforts by trained persons. It would be a partnership in the best possible way.

Yes, there might be permanent exhibition spaces but more likely there would be changing exhibitions that could travel to different parts of the Island and if interest was shown to places like Calgary, Hamilton etc. where Islanders are hungry for home ties. The subjects that could be tackled are endless.

We need a central museum

as published in The Guardian, Feb 24, 2007
ELLA WOOD WILLIS Charlottetown, life member, Heritage Foundation

Editor:

Concerning the need for a provincial museum located in Charlottetown, I would like to add my voice to the many who have spoken in favour of such a museum.

During the past week, I listened via CBC to Dr. Edward MacDonald and Mr. Ian Scott discuss the need for a provincial museum and I was impressed with their knowledge of the whole subject. Following their presentations, I heard Premier Binns discussing his plans to move hundreds of artifacts currently stored in West Royalty to Murray River at a cost of approximately $4 million. I question the wisdom of this plan and instead would urge for the creation of a central museum.

During my working years, there was a great effort made to collect antiques for the ‘dreamed of’ museum. Two women in particular, whose efforts need to be remembered and recognized, are the late Irene MacLeod Rogers and the late Ruth Heartz MacKenzie, who worked tirelessly to find and preserve antiques for Government House, Beaconsfield and the archives. Since Premier Binns did not come to P.E.I. until the early 1970s, he may not be aware of this heritage and the value of these irreplaceable antiques. It is my plea that the efforts of so many people not be used for political gain.

A new home for our artifacts

as published in The Guardian, Feb 23, 2007
DORIS WHITE, Murray River

Editor:

The artifacts that are stuck in a damp old warehouse in West Royalty came from communities across Prince Edward Island, not just Charlottetown.

I don’t see why some people think they should not be displayed in a rural community, giving it an economic boost and saving these items from decay in the process. I don’t recall there being this much uproar a few years ago when there was a plan to locate these artifacts at Orwell Corner? Why should there be one now that a museum presence could be established in Southern Kings, specifically Murray River?

Almost 100,000 Islanders drive to Charlottetown for some service one or more times every week. Why is it so difficult for Charlottetown people to occasionally drive out to support the rest of the province?

Personally, I applaud the efforts of Premier Binns and the government to work with communities to build a stronger future for themselves. These kind of projects help revitalize rural communities, complementing the more urban centres on Prince Edward Island.

Artifactory in Murray River a win-win idea

as published by The Guardian - Feb 24, 2007
GORDON BELSHER Guernsey Cove

Editor:

Everyone agrees that a new storage facility is needed for the Island’s historical artifacts. A question that should be asked is “Why not in Murray River?” The benefits of this location are already significant.

The cost of the land was a fraction of what it would have been for a ‘centrally’ located property. Some derelict buildings have been cleared from the village’s main street, making it more attractive to both residents and visitors, and proposed ‘storefront’ facades will add to this.

The village is a mere 35-minute drive from Charlottetown, less than Summerside and some other ‘central’ locations. It is central to Island fishing harbours, farming areas, former rail lines, and the wonderful collection at Preston Robertson’s Log Cabin Museum.

Design of the new building will include significant fireproofing and sprinkler systems, and meetings are ongoing to determine interest and suitability of storefront tenants.

The Island’s overall museum and heritage policies and direction need to continue to be assessed, but surely the new artifactory in Murray River can easily be viewed as win-win.

Point of View -- Thursday Feb 22, 2007

Point of View hosted by Terry Allen will be a replay of the Tuesday show on the Provincial Museum system. Terry's guests are Ian Scott, former Executive Director of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation and Andy Robb, former Chair of the Board of Governors.

Broadcast on Cable 10 the show airs between 8 and 9 pm.

Board of Governors replies

In a letter dated Feb 17th 2007 and addressed to Past Executive Directors and Board Members, the board of governors of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation indicates:

Your request for a three-month moratorium on development of this [Provincial Collections] facility is beyond our control. We have been provided with an opportunity to safeguard the Provincial Collection and do not have another viable alternative at this time.

We understand your strong feelings on this issue and thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Sincerely,
Satadal Dasgupta, PhD
Chairperson

Premier, Community Meet to Discuss Plans for Provincial Museum Storage Facility

Premier's Office
Monday, February 19, 2007

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Premier Pat Binns today met with members of the Northumberland Community Development Corporation, members of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and members of the Murray River Community Council to discuss plans for a new provincial museum storage facility.

The new building will replace the current storage facility in West Royalty Industrial Park which lacks adequate space to safely store and maintain the provincial collection of Island artifacts. A new museum storage facility has been a priority of the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation for a number of years.

The facility in Murray River will help ensure the safe storage of over 80,000 Island artifacts in the provincial collection and will complement the many heritage and museum sites located across PEI.

“We look forward to our new home in Murray River where we can safely preserve and store these important artifacts of Island history. Included will be a 1500-square-foot space where the public can view changing exhibitions featuring historic materials from the collection,” said Dr. Satadal Dasgupta, Chair of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation.

The 30,000 sq. ft. building will be owned and operated by the Northumberland Community Development Corporation (NCDC). PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation will lease 25,000 sq. ft for the museum storage facility while the remaining 5,000 sq. ft. will be leased to businesses. Jamie Richards, chair of NCDC, said the community is very excited with the development.

“This new development will offer a rebirth for the main street in Murray River and should be a good shot in the arm to enhance tourism and attract new businesses to our area,” said Mr. Richards. “This is a very positive announcement, not just for eastern PEI, but for all of PEI.”

- 30 - For additional information, contact Dennis King.
For pictures

We’d be happy to assist on museum

Published in The Guardian - Feb 21, 2007
by DWAINE OAKLEY
Stratford, president, Natural History Society of P.E.I

Editor:

The members of the Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island have noted with interest the items in the media related to a potential provincial museum.

The Society consists of nature lovers and others who exchange information and keep records on natural features, especially birds. The Society also promotes, encourages and enjoys the study of natural history.

While the Island has a number of sites that come under the management of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation, there is no provincial museum like those in the other provinces. A provincial museum would not only enable greater opportunity to preserve and protect cultural history, but more importantly, would enable protection and interpretation of natural history.

The Natural History Society supports the creation of a provincial museum that would preserve and interpret the Island’s natural and cultural history. The main function of a provincial museum is to tell the whole story, from beginning to present, using the best research and interpretative techniques to convey this knowledge. Throughout this, it is essential to maintain an ecological perspective; that is, to tell the human story in relation to the greatly altered natural environment upon which we all depend.

If the province should decide to establish a provincial museum facility, the members of the Society would be pleased to provide the information we have and to assist in an advisory capacity.

"Facility is more aptly suited to a central location"

by Vimy Gregory, Murray River

Editor,

There have been a couple of news items and several letters in recently regarding the building of a new “artifactory” in Murray River. The news items have been informative while the letters have been critical of this proposal.

Being sort of a history and genealogy buff, I certainly must agree with the critics of this proposal. This sort of a facility is more aptly suited to a central location. It also does not offer any new employment opportunities in the southern Kings and Queens area.

Mr. Binns and the Northumberland Development Corporation seem to have a very poor appreciation of the real needs of this area.

Public Meetings Concerning PEI Heritage & Museums

The Institute of Island Studies will be hosting a series of public meetings to bring museum and heritage panellists together with the public to discuss the current museum/artifactory issue. We will gather information on what the public’s perceptions, concerns, and positions are on this matter, and make this information publicly available. We believe that Islanders should have a say in defining policy for museums and heritage.

Community members from all PEI counties are encouraged to attend; meeting dates are as follows:

• Charlottetown: March 7^th, 7pm Venue TBA

• Miscouche: March 8^th, 7pm at Musee Acadien. This forum will be facilitated in both French and English.

• St. Peters: March 13^th 7pm at Dr. Roddie Community Centre

------------------------------------

Dr Irene Novaczek

Director, Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island

550 University Avenue, Charlottetown PE, Canada C1A 4P3

"Do we need a moratorium on the proposed artifactory move?"

by -- Irene Novaczek, Executive Director, IIS

The Institute of Island Studies will host a series of public forums in early March to facilitate discussion around several questions : 

• "Do we need a moratorium on the proposed artifactory move?" and
• "An Island Museum? What do provincial museums have to offer?"

A meeting will be held in each county in order to encourage public
discussion on:

• 1) Why create a museum "hub", to support the decentralized system of seven community museums?

• 2) What is the value of offering a new venue for cultural and natural history education to Island students?

• 3) How do museums work to deliver research, interpretation, education, conservation and exhibitions to serve various needs on PEI and,

• 4) re: the proposed Artifactory move to Murray River: should a solution to storage needs be advanced before the development of a comprehensive, long term Strategic Plan for PEI's Provincial Museum system?

The IIS wishes to bring museum and heritage professionals together with the general public to discuss the current museum/artifactory issue. We will gather information on what the public's perceptions, concerns, and positions are on this matter, and make this information publicly available.  Our initiative addresses the need for Islanders to have an opportunity for consultation and discussion on public policy for heritage conservation and the use of history to inform our needs for future sustainability.


Sincerely yours
Irene Novaczek, Executive Director, IIS

"The directors and professional staff of the Museum and Heritage Foundation are being placed in a troubling position at a crucial moment"

by - Andy Robb

Professor Emeritus of History and former Chair of the PEI MHF.

to Island Morning -- Good morning:

As a friend and former Board Chair of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, I must express my dismay after hearing the Premier's thoughts on locating the Provincial Collection in a new store-front artifactory in Murray River. I'm afraid that the longer-term need to develop a coherent vision on the place of heritage and cultural tourism on the Island is falling victim to very short-sighted opportunism.

The directors and professional staff of the Museum and Heritage Foundation are being placed in a troubling position at a crucial moment. They have an overriding responsibilty to safeguard the Provincial Collection of 80,000 plus artifacts, but are being told that the only way to get new and safer housing for the collection is to move it all to Murray River from the admitedly inadequate building where it is now located. This can only stretch very limited human and financial resources even tighter, and very likely provide less fire protection for the collection. The decision also gives the new and distinguished Executive Director of the Museum and Heritage Foundation much less room to manouevre in terms of planning for the next few decades. The deal is "take it or leave it"--a classic lose-lose position if ever there was one. Murray River gets little or no meaningful development, the Museum is weakened, and a coherent cultural tourism and heritage policy doesn't seem to be on the government's agenda.

Vision seems to in short supply these days.

Does PEI Need a Provincial Museum ?

The topic on Point of View tonight - Tuesday Feb 20th at 7 pm - is related to museum issues in the province. The phone-in show on Cable 10 hosted by Terry Allen has been titled Does PEI need a Provincial Museum ? Hopefully there will be some interest in this topic from callers.

Historians want halt on museum development

As published by CBC News · Posted: Feb 15, 2007 7:07 AM AT | Last Updated: February 15, 2007

A group of historians and former museum staff are lobbying for a moratorium on any developments with the provincially run museums on Prince Edward Island.

The group was formed in reaction to plans to build a new $4-million facility to store the province's collection of artifacts in the eastern Island community of Murray River.They worry the province is rushing to replace the current facility, known as the artifactory, without proper planning.

"A number of us are calling on the board to have a study and to look at the whole picture of museum development," said Ian Scott, a former executive director of the museum foundation.

"The only way you can do that is to have a moratorium on new developments until that report is in."
There is little argument that the current artifactory on the outskirts of Charlottetown —a leaky, overcrowded warehouse —needs to be replaced. But with talk the new artifactory could be a tourist attraction, though it is unclear exactly how it would work, the group's 10 members are concerned that a lot of money could be spent without clearly thinking through what's best for the museum system as a whole.

Currently, the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation operates seven museum sites across the Island, but there is no centralized museum that tells the overall story of the province.

Scott said the group has started a blog to encourage discussion of the artifactory and the future of P.E.I.'s museum system. Some people who've left messages on the blog believe the province should build one central museum, in addition to the seven that already exist.

Premier Pat Binns said he likes the way museums are situated in communities across the Island.

"I'm not so sure that means we should jump to putting everything in one centre," said Binns, "which in my view would threaten the future of our community museums and our de-centralized museum approach."

The Institute of Island Studies at UPEI has also set up a committee and plans to hold consultations on the future of the artifactory and the province's museum system.

Let's Consider What Our Heritage Means to us Before Making Firm Decisions

Published in The Guardian Sept 28, 2006 - Guest Opinion by Catherine G. Hennessey

I believe that with discussions on the artifactory being moved to Murray River, our historical scene deserves to be put in a historical context.

In the late 1960s, it became clear that the Confederation Centre of the Arts was not going to be the institution that was going to look after the preservation and interpretation of this Island's history as promised. Adding urgency to the situation, the Island was beginning its serious move into the 21st century. The Comprehensive Development Plan was in its first stages and the family farm was in a state of flux. To add a visual reality, one could hardly cross on the car ferries without encountering truckloads of antiques leaving the Island.

In the fall of 1969, Premier Alex Campbell called a group of Islanders together to discuss the matter. At the meeting were rural and urban persons, conservatives and liberals, Protestants and Catholics. Two meetings were held and then a third where Ruth MacKenzie, Irene Rogers and I were asked to present a view of Island heritage. Remember, these were the days after the opening of Upper Canada Village, Kings Landing and Expo ‘67 etc. We took the tack that the whole Island was a landscape to preserve and distinctive heritage highlights existed all over.

We suggested that it was not the time to build a heritage village, or a museum. We spoke about our shipbuilding industry, farming and fishing, our mills etc. We also stressed the importance of remembering the, furniture industry, the carriage making, the blacksmiths and the stone cutters. We felt that if a good team, of historians and museum workers; was shaped, with the support of a collection, we could, from a central point, serve and encourage preservation throughout the Island .

As a result of those meetings, the P.E.I. Heritage Foundation Act was passed in the legislature in 1970 and an enthusiastic board of Islanders was appointed. The focus of the institution was to encourage, preserve, collect and market Island heritage first and foremost for Islanders. The foundation opened an office in the Burke Building on Kent Street in January 1971.

They had hardly caught their breath before the ‘73 Centennial Commission, after much debate, decided that the capital dollars made available for the centennial would be directed toward heritage. The committee specified Green Park as the shipbuilding centre, Basin Head for fisheries, Orwell Corner for a rural, crossroads and they recommended an exhibition centre in Summerside. They also gave the foundation dollars to establish a headquarters for themselves. That was how Beaconsfield was acquired. With great foresight they established an endowment fund, with the income to be used for acquisitions, research, publishing, exhibitions and such extra matters that the foundation might direct. It was a huge load for the foundation to take on, but with the help of the Department of Tourism and community boards, all the sites, with the exception of Summerside, opened in 1973. Eptek in Summerside opened in February 1978, but by that time, the foundation had added Elmira Railway Station to its list of sites. Since those days, the Acadian Museum in Miscouche has joined the family. Of course, there are still gaps in historical interpretation; there is still no restored lumber mill nor a flour mill nor are there stories of certain prominent early Islanders like John Cambridge etc.

There was also a question of storage. Although we were blessed with considerable space at Beaconsfield and the collection was being used where appropriate at the different sites, things were getting crowded. Islanders were continuing to bequeath items to the foundation — or they sometimes allowed us to purchase something special — which was a gift in itself.

As we entered the ‘80s, it was clear that we must look for better storage space for the collection, somewhere close by, where staff could easily access, study and conserve the collection as well as creatively stage exhibitions that could travel to other sites. The accession of the artifactory — a word coined by staff member Mary Burnett — is a long story of its own. It is important to note that with some aid from the government, the National Museums, Manpower and . small number of patrons, we acquired a building in the West Royalty Industrial Park, improved its condition and with great relief moved in. That was 25 years ago.

Alas, the weaknesses of the building are shown up more and more as it ages — and the collection continues to grow. Staff has not grown in numbers and as a result the creative use of the collection has been difficult to address. However, it has been remarkable what has been accomplished. Regular exhibitions at Eptek and Acadian Museums and the establishment of the Agricultural Museum at Orwell Corner have added a tremendous dimension. The small staff that has been asked to multi-task and creatively use the limited resources that are available has done a remarkable job.

Today with the Island landscape under stress, churches of every denomination closing, a proposed new artifactory in Murray River (that would further separate the staff), with local museums struggling, a new executive director being sought for the Museum and Heritage Foundation, and concern being expressed about the tourism industry, it seems. like an ideal time to bring together many concerned Islanders to discuss just what our heritage means to us all and how we should address the issues over the next 35 years.

Let us stop, ponder and mull over this issue before serious dollars are spent. The future of heritage is so important to Islanders as well as to our visitors, that good, thoughtful decisions must be made.


Catherine G. Hennessey is a Charlottetown heritage activist.

We Need A Central Location for Our Heritage Collection

Its's time for others to step up and help the province find a suitable site.

- published by The Guardian Oct. 6, 2006 - Guest Opinion by Edward MacDonald

I once joked that when it came to heritage issues I was an archivist, not an activist. Historians, after all, need a certain distance from their subjects. But as someone who once had the privilege of working for the provincial museum system, and who cares deeply about this Island and its heritage, I find I must speak out about the proposed location for the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation’s new collections storage facility.

I want to begin by applauding the current government for at last seizing the nettle on this issue. The existing collections facility, a converted bus garage, was never more than a makeshift solution to the pressing problem of where to store and conserve the thousands of objects entrusted to the Museum & Foundation’s care. It is now many years since it became woefully inadequate for that purpose. A new, purpose-built storage facility is desperately needed and it must be built soon.

Having stated that, it makes no sense whatever to locate the new “Artifactory” in Murray River. It pains me to write this. I was born and raised in rural King’s County, I love it still, and I strongly believe that we must find ways to make rural communities sustainable. But to construct a museum storage facility in one corner of the province will not help the PEI Museum function effectively with its small staff and even smaller resources, nor will it make any meaningful contribution to the local economy of southeastern King’s County.

Why shouldn’t the new Artifactory be in Murray River? Doesn’t it have as much right as anyplace else? Well, let’s look at the benefits for Murray River. A collections facility is essentially a high-tech warehouse that maintains the proper environment needed to preserve fragile antiques. This particular one is customarily operated by three permanent employees, and, depending on the funding programs, one to four summer students. Thus, having it in Murray River will not create new jobs, nor will it result in a significant transfer of jobs to the community. The new facility will not be a museum, and as far as I’ve been able to determine, it will not include an exhibition gallery. And so, it seems unlikely that it will attract tourists, schoolchildren or even locals to the storefront businesses that might open in conjunction with its construction. In other words, other than the expense of its actual construction, it will contribute virtually nothing to the economic development of this part of the Island. If it did, an argument might well be made in favour of locating the storage facility in Murray River, in spite of how poorly its location would serve the rest of the PEI museum system.

Indeed, what benefits does the Murray River location offer to the PEI Museum and the larger cause of Island heritage? Obviously, secure and environmentally safe storage for a valuable collection is the answer. But that just means the province desperately needs a new collections facility. It is no argument for any specific location unless the whole project hinges financially on the choice of a particular site. I cannot comment on that, but, clearly, the Murray River location will not make it easier nor more efficient to serve the Island’s heritage needs. The PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation is a de-centralized museum system with seven sites. These are Orwell Corner Historic Village in Orwell, Basin Head Fisheries Museum in Kingsboro, Beaconsfield Historic House in Charlottetown, Eptek National Exhibition Centre in Summerside, the Acadian Museum in Miscouche, and Green Park Shipbuilding Museum and Historic Yeo House near Tyne Valley. There is no central “museum” building where the human and natural heritage of the province is explored in any unified way, but each site captures a valuable fragment of the Island’s past. There are over 80,000 artifacts in the provincial collection, held in trust for the people of PEI, past, present, and future. Various objects from the provincial collection are on permanent display at these museums. But since some of the sites operate only seasonally, even these permanent displays may end up in storage in winter. Several of the sites also have space for temporary exhibits, and so, depending on staffing, scheduling, and finances, other objects from the Provincial Collection are periodically taken from storage and put on display. Of these seven sites, only Orwell Corner could be described as “close” to Murray River. Moving artifacts or staff from a collections facility in Murray River to any other site would require considerably greater travel than if a central location were chosen. Distance adds time and expense to the critical role of serving the PEI Museum’s seven sites. Yes, distance is relative; PEI is not Ontario or Alberta. But neither does PEI have the resources of Ontario or Alberta, especially when it comes to heritage. And when the benefit to Murray River will be so minimal, what good will it serve?

The difficulty of a non-central location is compounded by questions surrounding human resources. The whole concept of a de-centralized museum system is predicated on the existence of a core staff which provides support, expertise, and/or direction to the various sites and to the Island population at large. To put the collections facility in a non-central location will only isolate and divide an already painfully small core staff by putting three of them in Murray River while leaving the rest in Charlottetown, at Beaconsfield Historic House. Yes, there is e-mail and the telephone, but that is a sorry substitute for a cadre of complementary staff working in proximity to one another, pooling resources and ideas to serve the public, the sites, and the many local museums and heritage organizations scattered across the province. A creative pooling of minds and resources is essential in a cash-strapped province with many so many claims on its budget. The PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation, the Community Museums Association, Holland College, the Provincial Archives, and the University of PEI are all institutions that could be doing more together to preserve and interpret our heritage for the benefit of Islanders and visitors. Physically moving key museum staff to Murray River will not help this to happen.

We cannot live in the past, but the future is built on it, whether we realize it or not. The Provincial Government is trying to do the right thing in constructing a proper facility for its provincial museum. At the same time, it is struggling to find ways to sustain rural PEI. But those two laudable objectives do not intersect in Murray River. A more suitable site in a more central location is needed, and it is time for other jurisdictions and other agencies to step up and help the Province to find one.

Dr. Edward MacDonald is ex-curator of history and collections at the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and is associate professor of history at the University of Prince Edward Island.

I Think We Need a Provincial Museum. . .

Wes MacAleer, MLA - from HANSARD P.E.I. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14 DECEMBER 2006 pg 1047-1048

The hon. Member from Charlottetown- Spring Park.
Mr. MacAleer: Mr. Speaker, I’d like to comment on this very briefly. I’ll say unabashedly that I very much support the concept of this motion. I think we need a provincial museum and I think we need a provincial museum because we have an infrastructure in place that we want to support. As I understand, we have developed an infrastructure that has seven locations. I think we have to look outside the box, we have to look just beyond museums and what they mean. If the idea of a museum is to in some way display what we have as a history of Prince Edward Island, then we have to look at who the clientele are. Some of them will be schoolchildren, some of them will be interested Islanders. But I would suggest the majority of those people are going to be visitors. If we consider visitors and what visitors have in terms of time at their disposal and what they can do, indications to us in surveys is that a majority of those people will be coming to Prince Edward Island to attend conventions and meetings and they don’t have a lot of time on their hands. Some of them may have more than others. But if you’re to interest these people in the historical aspect of Prince Edward Island, then you’d better do it very quickly. By that I mean you’re going to have to introduce them to the concept of museums and then build on it.

So my proposition is this. It better be near where you’re going to have conventions and meetings, and you’d better make a good impression on these people if you’re going to get them to visit some of these other sites that we have. So I’m saying that -

An Hon. Member: (Indistinct).

Mr. MacAleer: I just said that. But the problem we have, of course, is funding and we also have to have materials and so forth to put in this. Therefore I very much support the idea of a better storage facility, artifactory, which is going in Murray River. That’s not a problem. I think that we have to look beyond that. I think that we have the beginnings here of a larger idea which I think has been put forward several times by the Member from Borden-Kinkora when he said that we should have a museum of natural history. I think that we can join that together with this concept of having a provincial museum. We have a challenge here and I think this motion does not contradict what’s already been in place. I would hope that it would continue to support the concept that government continues to have with respect to museums across Prince Edward Island.

CBC Airs Series on PEI Museum Issues

A three part series, produced by CBC's Karen Mair, launches on Tuesday, Feb 13, 2007 at 7:15 AM on Island Morning. The series includes interviews with former staff of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation, including Dr. Edward MacDonald, as well as Premier Pat Binns.

Coming at a time when the topic is a key public policy issue, as consultations hosted by the Institute of Island Studies are beginning across the province, the subject is timely.

The shows will run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (Feb 13, 14 & 15) at the same time - 7:15 AM.

"I certainly will support some sort of a planning scheme to come up with a way to get those 80,000 articles displayed" - Wayne Collins, MLA

HANSARD P.E.I. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14 DECEMBER 2006 - pg1045-1047
Speaker: The hon. Member from Winsloe- West Royalty.
Mr. Collins: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I feel compelled to rise and speak on this issue because, number one, the old leaky artifactory is now located in my District of West Royalty. Everyone’s known for many years that it needs great improvement to preserve these 80,000 artifacts there. I know at one time there was a scheme to try
to move the artifactory or build an artifactory down in Orwell Historic Village, and for whatever reason that did not come to pass.

It’s been recognized for a long time that we need to do something concrete to really preserve these valuable pieces of Prince Edward Island history. As far as the artifactory going to Murray River, I have no problem with that, just as long as it meets all the various specs that are required to do the job of preservation. That, of course, I’m sure it’ll be state of the art and there should proper sprinkler systems, alarm systems for various events that could damage any of the goods inside there, and of course humidity controls, air conditional controls, things of that nature.

Certainly, a space reserved as well - and I know from my conversations with some people who do work at the artifactory at the moment - that they look forward to having a really interesting workshop there, a much larger space premises where they do some of their restoration work on some of these artifacts. That in itself, I’m sure, will probably be something that could be a display of in the Murray River area when it comes to looking at the artifactory.

Speaker: Hon. member, on the motion that’s on the floor on the provincial museums, it’s not the artifactory.

Mr. Collins: Yes, Mr. Speaker, but first of all I have to at least express an endorsement for the current plans for the artifactory before we deal with the museum. The artifactory is one step. The museum is another.

Speaker: Hon. member, you’re not arguing with me.
This is the motion on the floor now: “Whereas the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation has become an essential part of our community and the preservation of our history.”

Mr. Collins: Very well, Mr. Speaker, and I will address that specifically. I think the challenge here when it comes to a provincial museum - and it is a challenge and we have to answer this question - how are we going to get these 80,000 articles displayed to the public of Prince Edward Island? It’s one thing to have them in an artifactory protected and preserved, but who is going to see them?
Now I don’t know if we should use the term a central provincial museum. It’s been well outlined here that we do have a decentralized provincial museum system on Prince Edward Island, as was pointed out in detail by the hon. Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs. It also has been pointed out that we have, I believe, 31 community museums on Prince Edward Island. So we’re not lacking in the sense of having our heritage on display Island-wide.

But if we were to take - very few of these 80,000 artifacts are going in and out of these museums. I asked the person in charge and he said there’s only a few of these items that come in from some of these seven museums right now for safekeeping over the winter. It is not an on the go warehouse out there. So the challenge is, how do Islanders get tosee the 80,000 artifacts? Are we just going to spend $4 million-plus to keep them preserved and no one gets to see them? So I think the challenge is here we have to devise a plan whereby Islanders can get to view and appreciate the artifacts of their heritage.

Now whether that is a provincial museum or a more centralized or a larger museum facility, then so be it. I would endorse the idea of planning to devise a way to come up with a plan so Islanders can see the 80,000 artifacts.

Now we’ve got a situation down there at Founders’ Hall on the waterfront. I’m not aware of its success over the few years that it’s been operation, in terms to say whether or not that one big display of a few days in September 1864, as momentous as they were in Canada’s history, should be a
permanent display within the walls of Founders’ Hall. But I think there you have a facility on the waterfront that could possibly serve as a venue for a rotational display of some of the 80,000 artifacts. So that we could, if you will, in an ideal world, yes, salute the three days in 1864 as part of that, because it is part of Prince Edward Island’s history. But so is the ice age and so are the Aboriginal people, the Mi’kmaq, and working our way up, so is Jacques Cartier, and so are the first settlers, so is the beauty of the original Acadian forest, so is the hard work and toil of rooting out the trees to make the fields of Prince Edward Island as they are today.

People who know Prince Edward Island history far better than I can think of chapters and periods of this history that are right now displayed in those seven museums. But I’m talking about a centralized area where you can whet your appetite and venture out to learn more about shipbuilding at Green Park, or to learn more about the history of the railroad down in Elmira.

So I think I would support the idea of planning by government to come up with a scheme whereby the 80,000 artifacts are not permanently hidden. Because to this point, from what I have heard about the artifactory in Murray River, there may be some display but I don’t think it’s going to serve as a museum site per se. So I think we owe it to Prince Edward Islanders to make sure that while we preserve them we also have a plan to display them.

I think that the idea of refurbishing Founders’ Hall or looking at another role for that should be something to look at. I believe CDAC are the principal owners of that facility and I believe the provincial government is the principal owner of CDAC. So I think with the partnerships there, that is something that we could look at. That whole area doesn’t necessarily have to be devoted to displaying the 80,000 artifacts. I know there are a lot of other ideas that people had for refurbishing that area of the waterfront in Charlottetown. But certainly the idea of a display of some of these 80,000 artifacts should be incorporated into it.

So while I cannot support the motion as currently written in that there should be a provincial museum, I certainly will support some sort of a planning scheme to come up with a way to get those 80,000 articles displayed. The Leader of the Opposition in his remarks was talking about: There must be some federal money for this. I’m sure there is federal money available. When I was in Newfoundland, in St. John’s, which perhaps has the most outstanding newest distinguished, if you will, edifice that takes care of the provincial museum, provincial archives - it’s the provincial art gallery. It’s $50 million, it’s called The Rooms. If anyone is familiar with Newfoundland, it sits on the landscape of the city right next to the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, which is the biggest basilica east of Montreal in Canada. Of course, the joke in St. John’s is that The Rooms, when you look at it with its beautiful long slate roofs, they say The Rooms is the box that the Basilica came in. Architecturally, it’s created a great deal of controversy in that city.

But here’s the point that I want to make. Fifty million dollars-plus to build that, $2 million federal money, $48 million provincial dollars. So while the Leader of the Opposition might say there’s a lot of federal money for this, I’d like to see the figures on the cheque before I’d start venturing much further with that. Because this can be a very expensive venture. It’s one thing that the artifactory -to protectthese valuable pieces of Island history. That’s step one. But I really do think that in step two we should come up with a way that Islanders, our children today, our grandchildren tomorrow, will be able to see, touch, experience their heritage. Why hold on to these 80,000 items if we’re not going
to display them? No reason to do it. If we’re just going to keep them under wraps, like they’ve been under wraps in West Royalty for years, let’s not bother spending the money down in Murray River.
I really think it has to go hand in hand for preservation and display. Somewhere along the line we have to go to display them. I’mnot saying it has to be the provincial museum, because we all know that themuseums across Prince Edward Island are doing a very good job in fulfilling their specific mandates. I applaud them for that. It is certainly meant in a decentralized way to get Islanders and visitors moving around to appreciate in their local the history of those things that are on display there.

So, Mr. Speaker, that’s all I have to say about the motion for now. But I do hope I have left the very clear impression that building the artifactory is just step one.

Do you know where your history is going and why?

Published by The Guardian - January 17, 2007
Commentary by Yvette Doucette & Dr. Irene Novaczek

In 1901, 131 prominent and influential Islanders signed a petition to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council that included recommendation for the formation of a museum. Since that time, Prince Edward Islanders have been expressing a need for an educational and cultural institution to accommodate exhibit and storage space, conservation, interpretation, education/public activity, and research for the preservation of our history. The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation oversees museum collections for the Province of PEI: its facilities include a building for artifacts storage (the Artifactory) and seven decentralized, theme-based museum sites. None of these are dedicated to aboriginal artifacts or natural history.

Of this total collection of more than 80,000 artifacts, an estimated two-thirds or 53,300 are in the Artifactory This collection includes fine and decorative arts, and archaeological, natural history, and anthropological specimens from the earliest inhabitants, such as the Mi’kmaq, Acadian, Irish, English, and Scottish settlers, and others. These artifacts relate to areas of Island history such as shipbuilding, fishing, farming, railroads, domestic, professional, and commercial life. They have been gathered from concerned citizens on our Island and beyond. Our museum collection represents shared, collective memories—the qualities of Island life—and was always meant to be a primary education resource for our citizens.

What is at issue? Since about 1981, the Artifactory collection has been “temporarily” warehoused in a steel building in West Royalty. Unfortunately, this building is vulnerable to draughts, mold, insects, and ongoing leaks in bad weather. A move is underway to build a new storage facility in a community in the country. This has been discussed in the Legislative Assembly, in an editorial in the Guardian, and in many letters to the editor. It is good that this potential and real disintegration of our history is finally of concern publicly and politically. The next logical step is for consultation to take place (through all stages of planning, design, construction, and installation) with those museum professionals and citizens, who are best able to determine what is needed to safely preserve, maintain, and develop the collection, and to determine where this might be best achieved.

Nationwide, collections of cultural and natural history are stored within a central museum complex, or located close to one. This ensures the proximity of museum professionals and related services to properly treat and maintain collections, and brings exhibits and staff closer to the public, for education, enjoyment, and support. Optimally, on PEI, museum professionals and technical support (archivists, curators, conservators, cataloguers, Museum and Heritage Foundation staff) would work in the same community to share expertise, facilities, and to support collections. We are fortunate in the professionals we have. But, if storage is not centrally located, controlled access for students and researchers, including history scholars from UPEI, will be essentially cut off, and restricted recruitment options for technical and professional staff will potentially put the collection at risk.

Appropriate emergency and disaster resources are required relative to the size and type of collection and museum storage facility: for example, a full-time fire and police department, emergency supplies, temporary facilities for mass-drying and first-aid to materials if damaged by smoke and water. Day-to-day security issues must be addressed. This planning for new storage must recognize issues of public trust, public accountability, and liability. Modern, best-practices standards for care of the collection must be part of any proposed new storage design and construction, including, but not limited to: climate control, proper lighting, sufficient water supply for fire suppression, and a reliable power supply to operate all essential environmental systems. Finally, storage must be located so that handling, shipping and transportation are minimized, reducing stress to artifacts.

In short, a provincial collection of this magnitude needs professional management and care. Museum professionals must be seriously consulted in all stages of decisions including location, design, and construction of the storage facility, before building contracts are issued, in order to avoid budget overruns (additional costs to taxpayers), and to ensure collection safety.

The Provincial Government is responsible to its citizens for making it administratively and financially possible to preserve, interpret, and research our material culture. A strategic plan is required to manage these educational and cultural assets, which are non-renewable, unique, and beyond price. IIS is unaware, at the time of writing, of any such detailed, publicly-available documents specifying architectural and environmental engineering plans, or integration strategies with existing heritage and current museum needs. Will the PEI heritage collection become part of a broader museum policy—a policy that allows for public display, research, and progress towards more contemporary, inclusive, and interactive forms of museology?

The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation Board was founded in 1970, “to study, collect, preserve, interpret, and protect the human and natural heritage of Prince Edward Island for the use, benefit and enjoyment of the people of the province.” Ostensibly, the Board feels it must choose between leaving the collection in the poor situation that exists in West Royalty, or having a storage facility built in Murray River. Neither choice is optimal. The legacy and learning of all Islanders will be impacted if there is a rush for a storage solution without a long-term, provincial strategy.

The Institute of Island Studies is always concerned with, and committed to the needs of Islanders. One of our mandates is to perform research and promote progressive public policy, including the intelligent stewardship of Island heritage and the management of existing resources for future sustainability. Apart from the Lemieux and John Eldon Green (DPA Group) reports on the question of a Provincial Museum, in 1982, the Island Studies Committee commissioned Barry Lord to write, The Museums of Prince Edward Island, A Programme for Development. He recommends, “…a coherent, integrated programme for the development of museums and heritage sites on PEI, aimed at achieving a genuinely decentralized system of sites with a central facility that would provide a thematic focus on the Island’s story in ecological and historical terms…”

The Institute of Island Studies is interested in facilitating public discourse on the issues of a central museum for PEI heritage, and the proposed re-location of the heritage collection. The Museum Sub-Committee of the Institute of Island Studies Advisory Board invites members of the public to guide the IIS in drawing up plans for discussion forums to be held in each County. Please e-mail your ideas to ourheritage@upei.ca

Island Heritage concerns all Islanders. Decisions concerning our heritage collection should be made carefully and publicly, on the basis of the greatest public good.

Sincerely,

Yvette Doucette, Chair of the Institute of Island Studies Advisory Board, & Member of the IIS Advisory Board Museum Sub-Committee

Dr. Irene Novaczek, Director of the Institute of Island Studies, Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown PE, C1A 4P3

We need a plan in this Island for a provincial museum

HANSARD P.E.I. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14 DECEMBER 2006 -- pg 1048-1052
hon. Member from Crapaud-Hazel Grove, Carolyn Bertram ... as quoted in Hansard Dec 14, 2006

Mr. Speaker.
We’re talking about a provincial museum here and we’re talking about planning a policy - this upcoming year, 2007, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. This is the year to do the planning, it is the year to come up with the plan, the policy, behind a provincial museum. I believe this is the first step that we are not going to have full
consultation towards a true provincial museum. The member next to me talked about just a few minutes ago about federal dollars. The minister talked about how the Northumberland Development Corporation is using ACOA to get money for this structure.

We need a plan in this Island for a provincial museum, a structure built that can house the artifactory, can house the restoration component to this, can house our archives. There’s potential and there’s so many people that could work on a committee to be involved in this planning
process.

Leader of the Opposition: Hear, hear!

Ms. Bertram: We have so many people on Prince Edward Island that are committed. I have shared - they have written letters to the editor, they’ve phoned, they’ve emailed. They’re so committed to this whole issue, and they want to see a policy developed, and it was very disappointing to see the minister responsible on Tuesday evening speak against this.

Leader of the Opposition: Shame!

Ms. Bertram: Because it’s going to take away from our smaller sites.

Leader of the Opposition: Shame!

Ms. Bertram: We’re not doing that. We are going to bring more focus to them, we’re going to encourage people to reach out and find out even more about those different cultural and industry related activities of the past of Prince Edward Island. I think what’s important is the educational
component to all of this.

Leader of the Opposition: Hear, hear!

Ms. Bertram: We can teach Island history at the grade 6 level, but what good is that if the children in our school system don’t have interactivity, hands-on learning? We have 80,000 artifacts stored in the West Royalty facility which is in a dilapidated state. People of Prince Edward Island have
entrusted over the years these artifacts that were perhaps part of their family, they’ve entrusted to the government to keep safe these artifacts. Do they want to see them all locked up and no one to see them? For people not to enjoy them and appreciate them? No. We’ve been approached by family members that have given things in the past and they’re in complete opposition to a government that is going to be moving the artifactory down to the Murray River points. What we are saying - and I know Catherine Hennessey has stated that this being the anniversary year, let’s do this, let’s do in 2007 a planning process.

Celebrate our museums here on Prince Edward Island and plan for the future, and what a better way to do that in 2007 to celebrate the 35th anniversary?

Again in closing, I was disappointed that the minister and the Provincial Treasurer spoke against this the other evening. It is my hope that members will support this. I believe that we need policy on the table. We do not have a policy for a provincial museum here on Prince Edward Island for the protection of our artifacts here on Prince Edward Island. The Murray River concept, it should have
been an open process where other communities should have put forward ideas, and perhaps none of this would be on the table right now if we truly had a provincial museum strategy and policy and the development process could take place. Because what we have is a step one, but is step one going to lead to something else, and is this the best location for this? I don’t know, but we need to have consultation with the community on this because there are great people out there to do this.

Again, the final paragraph says: “... that the Legislative Assembly endorse the concept of a provincial museum and urge the government to begin planning as soon as possible.” I urge members this afternoon to support this. Support it, because we’re going to endorse the concept and if you want to say the scheme, okay, the scheme, it’s a planning year, 2007, and we can get on to
the business of the establishment of a provincial museum here on Prince Edward Island, still supporting our smaller facilities across the Island.

I will close with that. Thank you.

Richard Brown -- from the Legislature

HANSARD - P.E.I. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY - 12 DECEMBER 2006 pg 947-948
Member from Charlottetown-Kings Square - Richard Brown


. . . I think it’s time that the province engage in providing Islanders with a provincial museum. It is well known that you cannot get all your information from books. It would be a great idea to have our students actually see the history of Prince Edward Island through the artifacts and through a museum. I think this would be a great benefit to all Island students to actually see our history in a museum. It is sad that much of our history now is stored in a dilapidated building out in the Industrial Park. I think this kind of development should have gone on a long time ago and we shouldn’t have allowed our artifacts to be damaged. I, too, also know Catherine Hennessey quite a bit. I served on council with Catherine Hennessey. She is an excellent promoter of the heritage, and especially the heritage of Prince Edward Island, not only Charlottetown. She does think that we should have a provincial museum because it brings most of our artifacts into one area.

I’m not against the Premier of Prince Edward Island trying to make development for his district. I don’t think an artifactory is going to do it, but if he thinks so, so be it. I would much prefer maybe the construction of the new provincial lab could have went down there. I would have supported that. Anyway, it’s the 35th anniversary next year of the museums, and I think it would be a great start in order to tell the museum people we are working on a project, that we’re going to work on a provincial museum for Prince Edward Island. By no means am I lobbying for my area. I think any area would be good for this, and I think that the area that is chosen should be chosen for its
location and for its access to all Islanders and not by political needs. Because at the end of the day, politicians change and they change more often than this new provincial museum would.

So I hope that we could put together a plan, a plan that would include Islanders, a plan that would locate a facility, albeit wherever it is, chosen by the committee and made accessible to all Islanders. I think that this would be an excellent opportunity for this Legislature, for this province, to show its
support for its history. After all, we do have a rich history in Prince Edward Island. There is a lot of history to be shown on Prince Edward Island and it should be shown to everyone that can get to it.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

From the Legislature

Hon. Member from Crapaud-Hazel Grove, Carolyn Bertram ... as quoted in Hansard Dec 12, 2006

The chair of the Museum and Heritage Foundation, Satadal Dasgupta said “The Board (of the Foundation) continues to discuss its hope of acquiring an appropriate home for the provincial collection and dreams of establishing a provincial museum where much of the Island history presently housed in our ‘artifactory’ could be presented and interpreted to the public”; . . .

. . . in 2007, next year, the 35th anniversary of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. Let us celebrate heritage here on Prince Edward Island next year by supporting the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation by recognizing Dr. Dasgupta’s true dream of establishing a provincial museum, along with all others that are committed to heritage protection here on Prince Edward Island.


. . . As Catherine Hennessey puts it - and who else knows the history of Prince Edward Island? - Catherine is very committed to historical preservation here on Prince Edward Island. But she said: 2007 marks the 35th anniversary of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. So this is the upcoming year. What better year to mark its anniversary than endorsing this resolution here this evening, where we’re endorsing the concept and urging the government to begin the planning as soon as possible? This is a positive step. is apositive step.


. . . Because Charlottetown has had a committee looking into a provincial museum facility and I think they feel that they’ve been left out of this process, along with other areas. Because I think there’s a true commitment by many groups across the Island that feel they’ve been left out.


. . . So here we have a new facility that’s being constructed with no large plan on the table. I think that’s what we need. We need to have people committed to this. I think someone like Catherine Hennessey, Dutch Thompson, we have so many people that are interested in this. Dr. Ed MacDonald, former executive chairs - and Dr. Dasgupta - along with the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, I think we could formulate a very strong community oriented committee that could
look into this that could bring forward a plan as soon as possible, in this the 35th anniversary 2007, to the minister. Not to sit on a shelf, obviously, to actually see an endorsement by the government to support a provincial museum.

Motion from Legislative Assembly

HANSARD - P.E.I. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY - 12 DECEMBER 2006
The hon. Opposition House Leader.
Mr. R. Brown: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move, seconded by the hon. Member from
Crapaud-Hazel Grove, that Motion 26 now
be read.
Speaker: Shall it carry?
Some Hon. Members: Carried.
Clerk: Motion No. 26.

The hon. Member from Crapaud-Hazel Grove moves, seconded by the hon. Member from Charlottetown-Kings Square, the following motion:

WHEREAS the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation has become an essential part of our community and the preservation of our history;

AND WHEREAS the Foundation operates seven provincial museums and heritage sites;

AND WHEREAS the Foundation maintains a record of our fishing, shipbuilding, agricultural, social and cultural history;

AND WHEREAS there is a stated need for a provincial museum to coordinate the work of other facilities and offer a central location for the celebration of our heritage;

AND WHEREAS the chair of the Museum and Heritage Foundation, Satadal Dasgupta said “The Board (of the Foundation) continues to discuss its hope of acquiring an appropriate home for the provincial collection and dreams of establishing a provincial museum where much of the
Island history presently housed in our ‘artifactory’ could be presented and interpreted to the public”;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly endorse the concept of a provincial museum and urge the government to begin planning as soon as possible.

Debate on this important motion is provided in
Hansard of 12 DECEMBER 2006
on pages 943-957 which in the web edition is on pdf pages 78-92

Hansard of 14 DECEMBER 2006
from pages 1043-1052 -- in the web edition that is on pdf pages 28-38

Moratorium on New Developments - Clearly the Right Thing to Do

By Ian Scott
Increasingly Islanders are calling for a moratorium on any new museum developments in facilities and programs, for an number of reasons:

• Islanders are awaiting the arrival of a new executive director of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation, Dr. David Keenleyside, in early March.

• The Institute of Island Studies at UPEI, is currently undertaking consultations across the province to determine the views of Islanders on the current state of the provincial museum system.

• The PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation has initiated a strategic planning process.

• Serious questions have been recently raised in the PEI Legislature regarding government's policy on the development of central facilities for the provincial museum system.

• There is broad public concern for the lack of clear provincial museum development policy, as evidenced by a steady stream of letters to the editor of The Guardian.

• Editorials are calling for government to "hold off on a decision until it can conduct a review of province's heritage resources and decide on a future direction for them."
  

Until the new executive director has had an opportunity to study the current situation and a clear provincial museum development policy is in place, to meets the needs of the organization and all Islanders, the right thing to do is to establish a moratorium on any new museum developments.

Annual Meeting announced March 14, 2007 - PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation

Please add the Annual General Meeting of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation to your calendar. It will be held on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 in the Carriage House of Beaconsfield, in Charlottetown beginning at 7 PM.

For any members wishing to attend this event - this is a great time to make sure that membership is up-to-date, so they are eligible to vote on any motions, or to make any motions yourself. Invitations indicate that an RSVP is appreciated by March 8, 2007 by calling - (902) 368-6600.

For new members it is also an opportunity to share ideas with the Board of Governors and the membership.

With a new executive director, Dr. David Keenleyside arriving the week before, it will also be an opportunity to meet him.

Province Wide Consultations

The news that the Institute of Island Studies at UPEI is launching a series of consultations on the state of museum development on PEI is most welcome.

We will keep this site updated - as dates of these meetings become known.

The Island needs a clear provincial museum policy

Commentary published by The Guardian - October 4, 2006

By Ian Scott

Earle Lockerby’s letter ‘We need a major museum’(The Guardian, Sept. 23, 2006), which notes the lack of clear policy for a provincial museum on P.E.I., sums up the situation well. Seeing the potential removal of the central collections of the Museum Heritage P.E.I., from the capital, to be housed in the premier’s riding, is a sad reflection of the current state of museum policy on P.E.I.

Many Islanders are aware of the efforts during every decade since 1881 to achieve a provincial museum in Charlottetown. The Heritage Foundation, a membership organization established in the 1970s, was granted a new mandate (and name) in the 1980s as a provincial museum system, with additional roles including natural history. Unfortunately, along with these new roles came a lack of funding to fulfil them.

Operating the branch museum system for the summer season remains a major focus with effort focused on restoration and enhancement of the seasonal sites. The incorporation of the Acadien Museum, the restoration of Beaconsfield with adaptation of the carriage house for programming along with Eptek provide valuable year-round activities.

Still the story that is told within the seven sites is fragmentary. In every other province in Canada, the story of their unique area is told, from the beginning of time. We live in an amazing land filled with equally amazing flora, fauna, and history — yet the story of our place on earth goes untold.

In 1883 when rare dinosaur bones were accidentally excavated on P.E.I., they were shipped to a Philadelphia museum where I understand they remain today. Fossils of plants living 280 million years ago on P.E.I., which were previously unknown, were named after the discoverer, Island naturalist Francis Bain. Our geological and archeological past remains unappreciated, perhaps simply because it remains unknown to most of us.

We have moved (one would hope) from an era where giving our precious artifacts to foreign nations with pride in preserving and interpreting natural and human history was acceptable. Yet each day, we continue to lose our history and our heritage through neglect, and lack of care. These days, often it is the loss of our oral history, with no oral archives on P.E.I. collecting the personal stories and music of our most senior residents. While our Gaelic name, Eilean a’ Phrionnsa (P.E.I.) is long gone from the lexicon of Islanders — our oral history in storytelling remains vital, but no official effort is made to record it. Thankfully, individuals like Dutch Thompson valiantly dedicate their spare time to save what remnants they can.

Each year more of our archeological story, that of the earliest Islanders, is lost to coastal erosion.
Again, most provinces actively ensure that their prehistory and the knowledge to be gained from it is not lost for ever.

Our heritage doesn’t survive through neglect. It takes active effort to be preserved. Allowing museum and heritage policy to become a political handmaiden will reap for all Islanders situations like the current one, where millions are suddenly available to be poured into the premier’s home riding, when nothing had existed for the well-thought-out plans that had been developed by organizations charged with museum development over the years.

Not that Murray River doesn’t need creative development and good ideas for reuse of existing buildings; it has needed this since the current premier was first employed as a community development officer. But everyone who has studied community development knows the basic guiding principle — not to impose a major big box development on a local community; build on local strengths, enhancing what is sustainable and meets local needs. A storage building, no matter how well described, which provides no local employment is neither a good mix for Murray River residents, nor is it in the best interests of Islanders across the province who will be footing the bill, long after the premier has retired.

There is much that needs to be done in museum development, and there are people like Earle Lockerby, with vision for the full provincial picture, who we should be listening to.

We need a clear provincial museum policy to avoid having key decisions being driven by parish pump politics with provincial boards so desperate for funds they will accept anything proposed.



Ian Scott served as executive director of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation during the 1980s.

Speaking up for a provincial museum

- published by The Guardian 24 January 2007
ELMON NICOLLE, White Sands

Editor:
The commentary in the Jan. 17 Guardian on a central museum, written by Yvette Doucette and Irene Novaczek of the Institute of Island Studies, should be a wake-up call to all Islanders concerned about the future of our historical artifacts.

The logic given should be clear to most. A building to store this material should be in a central location in P.E.I., accessible to users such as those mentioned — UPEI history students, museum professionals and interested citizens. It should also have the described full-time protection services available.

The opening line of the commentary is the key question. Do you know where your history is going and why? Apparently it is going to Murray River but we are not sure why. To date the facts seem to be that the province has purchased over $100,000 in land and turned the land over to the local development corporation for development. It can be seen that the existing buildings have been demolished. I have seen no public report as to tendering or cost for that work. Was it tax money? Rumour has it that construction will begin in the spring.

IIS goes on to state that the next logical step is for consultation to take place with museum professionals and citizens regarding how this project will fit in with existing museum and heritage needs. This has not been done. IIS also notes that there are no publicly available documents detailing architectural or environmental engineering plans.

Most letters to the editor and at least one editorial have questioned this proposal and one MLA has very reasonably asked for a financial plan.

Tens of thousands of items gathered by Islanders and others are to be stored in this building. Are Acadians from Prince County or Mi’kmaq from Lennox Island willing to travel to Murray River to borrow items for display in their local museums as can be done now from the existing building?

Since 1901, over 100 years ago, Islanders have been asking the province for a museum. If Islanders today do not agree with this proposal as a suitable step toward a well-planned museum system, I suggest that they make their opinions known to their MLA and premier before it is too late, if it is not already.

A look at our museum policy

Ian Scott, Guest Opinion
The Guardian - Published 31 January 2007

Thankfully the Institute of Island Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island is getting involved with one of the most important topics of public policy in the province (‘A central museum for our heritage’, The Guardian, Jan 17, 2006).

The current state of the provincial museum system remains a major concern as we see a lack of policy development and planning for fulfilment of many aspects of its mandate.

The board of governors of the P.E.I. Museum Heritage Foundation faces a challenge in gaining provincial support for addressing their basic needs and thus we should not be surprised if they appear forced to go along with any opportunities that present themselves — as unsuitable as these might be to the needs of the institution.

Since the P.E.I. Heritage Foundation was first established it has been telling important stories in locations appropriate to each story. From this developed a decentralized branch museum system with core services centrally located. Yet the key narrative of our Island, the waters that surround us, and the organisms that have made this place their home for millions of years, is not being told. The ongoing frustration of those who have attempted to have the natural history mandate addressed is real.

If the Board of Governors’ role is so constrained that they must simply go along with any proposal presented to them, they cannot fulfil their legislated mandate. Dependence on government funds is real, but given that reality, a proactive role in public policy development is essential to sound management.

With Dr. David Keenleyside arriving on March 4 as the new executive director, he will find the board marching along to plans of developing a new collections management and exhibition centre in the premier’s riding. This will see the core services for the provincial collection housed in a situation where even basic needs like adequate water supply for fire suppression for large structures is a major issue. This proposed development remains a highly controversial use of economic development dollars since upon completion, it will generate no new employment for an area in need of jobs. Given the public policy issues currently faced, and the arrival of a new executive director, this is an opportune time to examine the state of museum policy in P.E.I.

Aspects of the mandate of the museum system, granted by legislation in areas of natural history, archaeology, the care of artifacts and their interpretation, remain an ongoing challenge and significant issues continue to be raised publicly and in the legislature on the future direction of the museum. If the board is sincerely interested in reinvigorating the membership of the organization, dealing with these issues is clearly the best option.

It is essential that a planning study be undertaken to determine the future direction of the organization. The Institute of Island Studies has indicated willingness to conduct consultations, and invited Islanders to share their views through their new e-mail address
ourheritage@upei.ca
It is essential that Dr. Keenleyside be involved in any planning activities and crucial that a full examination take place of previous planning studies, as well as the current status of museum policy and development on P.E.I. David Keenleyside must also be given latitude to recommend appropriate directions for our provincial museum system. For that reason, it is essential that a moratorium be placed on new developments, related to facilities and programs, until such time as a clear museum development plan is in place, that meets the needs of the organization and all Islanders.

We need to make haste slowly — an immediate moratorium is essential, until proper planning has taken place.

Ian Scott was executive director of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation during the 1980s.