Founders Hall should be provincial museum: Bevan-Baker idea supported by the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation

As reported by CBC News Prince Edward Island
Oct 24, 2016

The Green Party leader thinks Founders Hall would be a great site for a provincial museum, something P.E.I. governments have been exploring but have not acted on for years. (Charlottetown Area Development Corporation/Canadian Press)

The Green Party leader is urging the provincial government to turn Founders Hall into a provincial museum.

"I think it would be a fantastic opportunity for the province of Prince Edward Island to finally have its own provincial museum. We're the only province in Canada without one," said leader Peter Bevan-Baker.

He also thinks the timing is excellent given that Founders Hall is up for sale, and Ottawa is taking applications for infrastructure dollars specifically for social and cultural projects like this.

P.E.I. Green Party Leader Peter Bevan Baker says the timing is good because Founders Hall is up for sale, and Ottawa is accepting applications for infrastructure dollars specifically tied to social and culture projects like this. (Green Party of P.E.I.)

"So the dollars are there to be had, and if we had a provincial government with the will to do something, then to my mind this is the perfect time," said Bevan-Baker.

"Not to mention the fact that next year is, of course, the 150th anniversary of our country, which, of course, was founded here in Charlottetown."

Bevan-Baker said this would be an excellent legacy for that anniversary.

"Do we want our infrastructure legacy in the 150th anniversary of our country's history to be a perimeter highway, or do want it to be a place that celebrates the unique and the rich varied history of Prince Edward Island?"

Museum and Heritage Foundation supports idea

The suggestion of using Founders Hall for the museum was made by the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation three years ago.

The current board chair still believes Founders Hall would be an excellent location

"We are at capacity at our storage facilities in Charlottetown," said Carolyn McKillop.

"The ideal solution would be to have our artifacts out where everybody could view them and enjoy them."

McKillop said more people are donating important historical items to the foundation for further generations to enjoy, but that's not happening with them stored in the Artifactory at the West Royalty Industrial site.

She said having a provincial museum would help Island history come alive, especially for younger Islanders.

Provincial response

"Government continues to discuss a provincial museum but they have not reached  a point where‎ sites are being considered," said the province in a written statement.

CBC News was not given an answer whether a funding request has gone to Ottawa for a provincial museum.

Greens to renew museum support

As published in The Guardian, Oct. 24, 2016

EDITOR: I was delighted to see your recent editorial promoting the idea of using Founder’s Hall as a potential location for a provincial museum. As the only province without a museum, we are missing out, as your editorial says, not only on major tourism opportunities, but more importantly, ongoing opportunities for all Islanders, and in particularly our children, to learn more about P.E.I.’s fascinating heritage.

Whether it is cultural, geological, artistic or ecological, we have a uniquely rich and varied history which deserves to be on permanent display, helping to strengthen Islanders' sense of identity, as well as knowledge about our past.

It was Premier Campbell who set up the P.E.I. Heritage Foundation, and it would be a nice symmetry and a fitting tribute, if our current Premier - who literally wrote the book on Alex Campbell - would take this opportunity to leave a legacy worthy of their shared appreciation of Island history.

I made a statement in our Legislature last year supporting the establishment of a museum on P.E.I., and bolstered in part by The Guardian’s enthusiasm, look forward to bringing this up again when the House opens next month.

Peter Bevan-Baker,

Leader, Island Green Party 

EDITORIAL: Founders Hall offers opening for museum

As published in The Guardian, Oct 20, 2016

© File Photo

Founders Hall in Charlottetown is now up for sale.

Memo to the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC): Delay a plan to donate remaining historical displays inside Founders Hall to Confederation Centre and Heritage P.E.I. There might be life yet for the building and items relating to Charlottetown’s 1864 Confederation Conference.

The building on the Charlottetown waterfront - mothballed since last fall although several retail tenants did operate there this summer - is now for sale.

Isn’t this an opportunity to finally move forward on a long ignored and much needed provincial museum for Prince Edward Island? The location is superb. The building is historic. And the need is great.

Just over a year ago, Rosemary Curley, the president of Nature P.E.I., came out swinging in a guest opinion in The Guardian to argue for a provincial museum. She wanted the province to tap into fresh infrastructure funds being promised by the then-new federal Liberal government.

Ms. Curley was hoping for a positive decision on a provincial legacy project to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation in 2017. And what better way to proceed than on a human and natural history museum? We are the only province without one.

Sadly, her plea has fallen on deaf ears.

There has been a general underwhelming interest in celebrating the sesquicentennial of Canada’s founding, especially in the cradle of Confederation and despite our own successful 150th celebrations in 2014.

The lure of federal infrastructure money saw the province recently commit to a massive $65 million Cornwall bypass project. Is the Cornwall bypass going to be the provincial legacy for 2017?

The surge in cruise ship and tourist traffic in recent years has failed to pay dividends at Founders Hall. Why? The waterfront has been booming, especially since 2014 when the Confederation Landing Park hosted numerous events. But tourists and Islanders seem to have skipped Founders Hall.Founders Hall opened in 2001 after the former rail car shop was converted into an attraction saluting our founding fathers. It did have successful early years but tourism numbers have fallen. The decline is blamed on outdated displays that didn't prove popular in the digital age. Modern interactive exhibits might have drawn more visitors but CADC seemed to have quickly given up on this facility.

CADC wants the private sector to try something else - to develop the property as a multi-purpose retail venue to bring people to the waterfront. The corporation acknowledges its initial investment did pay off and the building was a significant player in the rejuvenation of the eastern end of the city. So why did its support for Founders Hall come to an abrupt end?

P.E.I. was left without a permanent legacy for 2014, despite the enormous benefits to the city and province from the Confederation Centre national memorial built for our 1964 celebrations. Now it appears the same fate is imminent for 2017.

Before the rush continues to divest this potential treasure, someone must step forward and explore the museum options for Founders Hall before it becomes another condo development obscuring the waterfront.

There is need for vision.