Prince Edward Islanders have been waiting more than 100 years for a museum, says Nature PEI president

CBC News
As published December 29, 2015

It is not just recent governments who are to blame for the lack of provincial museum, says Nature PEI president Rosemary Curley. (CBC)

Prince Edward Islanders have been waiting more than 100 years for a museum, says Nature PEI president.  Rosemary Curley is calling on the province to commit part of the promised federal infrastructure dollars to building a human and natural history museum.

"We've longed for one for many a year and no government has delivered as they should have," said Curley.

"Governments have shirked their responsibility over the years, and I don't mean just in the last 20 years. I don't point the finger at any one particular government. It is for over 100 years that government has steadfastly ignored this."

A museum would allow things like fossilized reptile footprints, hundreds of millions years old and recently donated to the P.E.I. Museum Foundation, to be displayed.

Fossils found 3 decades ago on P.E.I. are returning to the Island
A museum has been discussed for decades, with commitments sometimes made by provincial governments but not acted on.

Curley noted a new museum of natural history in B.C., unveiled five years ago, had a price tag of $40 million. She believes a capital campaign could raise that amount for an Island museum.

A Golden Opportunity - Let's Develop Museum of Human and Natural History

by Rosemary Curley
Guest Opinion as published in The Guardian on Dec 28, 2015



With the P.E.I. Legislature now closed, there was an important topic raised which seems to have gone relatively unnoticed by the media, and it needs recognition. Decades have passed since the Legislative Assembly created the organization charged with museum responsibility, yet major areas of the provincial museum mandate like natural history have gone unaddressed. It was the watchful eye of Green Party leader Peter Bevan-Baker who noticed this and brought forward a statement to the Assembly on November 26th.

He stated:

“With the commitment of the new federal government to spend billions of dollars on social infrastructure, now might be a wonderful time for Islanders to begin to dream again about a project long discussed and advocated: and that is, the construction of a new Provincial Museum of Human and Natural History, a state-of-the-art institution to showcase and highlight the rich legacy, and promise, of our Island province. I foresee — I dream about — a must-visit facility for every Island school student, citizen and visitor.

“The Premier talks often about that very precious inheritance of Islanders, the Gift of Jurisdiction. In my opinion, that “Gift” is rather hollow — indeed, at risk — unless pains are taken, with each new generation, to shore up and reinforce Islanders’ sense of history and identity. Also, we need to continue to learn from our past – in particular, how human beings have affected the often fragile environment of this place, and vice versa. Thus we can equip ourselves to face the future with a higher consciousness, and a greater wisdom.

“In 1970, a visionary Island Government of the day took the bold step of establishing the Prince Edward Island Heritage Foundation. In 1983, the Museum Act changed the name of the organization, added a natural history mandate, and underlined the institution’s status as the Island’s “provincial museum” Now, almost half a century later, let us be bold to finish the job and build a lovely and imaginative new facility which will be the pride of Islanders.”

Kudos to Dr. Bevan-Baker for recognizing this golden opportunity to develop a museum that tells the full story of this province, its distant geological past,  its rich paleontological treasures buried deep within, and all life forms that call it home. Nature P.E.I. shares this vision of a museum with programs that help all Islanders and visitors understand the significance of both natural and human heritage.

We implore the Government of P.E.I. to move ahead now that there is an interest at the federal level in funding joint projects that serve the needs of Canadians in the area of social infrastructure.

Rosemary Curley, is a biologist who serves as president of Nature P.E.I.: The Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island.

Peter Bevan-Baker speaking in the Legislature: Provincial Museum Statement

The following statement was made in the PEI Legislative Assembly on November 26, 2015 by Peter Bevan-Baker the leader of the Green Party of PEI.

Prince Edward Island Museum of Human and Natural History

With the commitment of the new federal government to spend billions of dollars on social infrastructure, now might be a wonderful time for Islanders to begin to dream again about a project long discussed and advocated: and that is, the construction of a new Provincial Museum of Human and Natural History, a state-of-the-art institution to showcase and highlight the rich legacy, and promise, of our Island province.  I foresee – I dream about – a must-visit facility for every Island school student, citizen and visitor.

The Premier talks often about that very precious inheritance of Islanders, the Gift of Jurisdiction. In my opinion, that “Gift” is rather hollow – indeed, at risk – unless pains are taken, with each new generation, to shore up and reinforce Islanders’ sense of history and identity. Also, we need to continue to learn from our past – in particular, how human beings have affected the often fragile environment of this place, and vice versa. Thus we can equip ourselves to face the future with a higher consciousness, and a greater wisdom….

In 1970, a visionary Island Government of the day took the bold step of establishing the Prince Edward Island Heritage Foundation.   In 1983, the Museum Act changed the name of the organization, added a natural history mandate, and underlined the institution’s status as the Island’s “provincial museum.”

Now, almost half a century later, let us be bold to finish the job and build a lovely and imaginative new facility which will be the pride of Islanders.

The statement is available via YouTube

P.E.I. NDP want to turn Fanningbank into provincial museum

As published in the Journal-Pioneer, Jan 13, 2015

CHARLOTTETOWN – Prince Edward Island’s New Democratic Party want to turn the Lieutenant Governor’s residence in Charlottetown into a provincial museum.

Party leader Mike Redmond said in a press release Tuesday that if enough NDP members are sent to the legislature in the upcoming provincial election, they would convert Fanningbank into a provincial museum by 2017.

“Islanders of all walks of life and thousands of tourists will enjoy a new provincial museum in an ideal location in our capitol city, in between Beaconsfield and Victoria Park,” said Redmond.

“If we make an objective of establishing the provincial museum at

Fanningbank by 2017 we will provide plenty of time to scale back

vice-regal operations and transition the family to new accommodations as is the case in some other provinces.”

Redmond pointed out that the Fanningbank mansion is open to the public from July until August, and is only used by the Lieutenant Governor’s family and office for the rest of the year. 

Charting a Course: A Study of Heritage in Prince Edward Island

It was September, 2008 a study team headed by The IRIS Group, including Diane Griffin, Harry Baglole, Yvette Doucette drew on the skills of Andrea Arbic, Ann Howatt Ph.D, Monica MacDonald Ph.D, Terry Ruddell Ph.D, Robert Frame, and Georges Arsenault to produce a report called Charting A Course: The Study of Heritage on PEI, for the Prince Edward Island Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs & Labour.

This week I came across this important report and was reminded that precious little has been done since to move ahead on the recommendations of this important study. Once again we find ourselves with another important report sitting on a shelf — a very long shelf — with reports calling for action on developing a proper provincial museum, with the capacity to fulfil its mandate.

. . .the sense of urgency felt by Islanders about what is at stake — what is being endangered and lost. Collections, buildings and landscapes are among the many heritage areas at risk. The need and desire for immediate action is great.
- Executive Summary
Charting a Course: A Study of Heritage in Prince Edward Island

Ian Scott,
Charlottetown
Jan 12, 2015

Ghiz pledges to explore options for provincial museum

Teresa Wright

Published on November 13, 2014 by The Guardian

Premier says he is working on strategy to glean some federal dollars

The Ghiz government is once again talking about a provincial museum for P.E.I., but this time is making no promises.

In his 2014 speech from the throne, Premier Robert Ghiz says his government is “exploring options to establish a provincial museum as a legacy project of Canada’s Sesquicentennial” in 2017.

This is very different language than in November 2008, when his government hosted an event at Province House where a commitment was made to creating a centrally located provincial museum facility.

Carolyn Bertram, who was the minister of heritage at the time, said she hoped to see the museum open within “the next few years.”

Six years later and still no museum, despite many calls for one this year as a 2014 legacy project.

Ghiz says he has met with the provincial museum association and is working on a strategy to glean some federal dollars in 2017.

He admits, however, this is not his No. 1 infrastructure priority.

“Would I love to announce it in the speech from the throne and say it’s starting tomorrow? Absolutely. But to be honest, it’s not our top priority right now,” he said Wednesday.

“But it is something that we want to do in the future and we think that 2017 is probably our best opportunity for it.”

The premier added he would work toward matching whatever federal dollars could be made available, but did not give any concrete dollar amounts.

A provincial museum was one recommendation in a $60,000 report completed by the IRIS group, called Charting A Course, commissioned by the Ghiz government after taking office in 2007.

That report also called for government to develop a strategy to guide future planning for heritage.

In his throne speech Wednesday, Ghiz announced consultations would be held this year to develop a 10-year strategy for cultural development.

Ideas for creating a Prince Edward Island museum

As published by The Buzz - November 2014

Art Speak
by Donald Andrus

The title of this article has an impressive ring to it, but like a turtle bereft of its shell, this rather wonderful and naturally diverse collection remains hidden, by and large, in storage since there is no building as yet to house it. Yet again, very recently the topic surfaced momentarily. 2014 it goes without saying, would have been the perfect year in which to celebrate this Museum, in its very own building—a permanent memorial in a year that has used much money to create so many impermanent celebrations. Cost figures to build from scratch have been bandied about ($50 million, $70 million…) without any serious study having been made to present to the public what the costs might actually be, and who in fact should foot the bill.

There is a seemingly, annual mass migration of box stores in this city, busy moulting one shell in order to fit into an even larger one? Whether it be hardware franchises or supermarkets there seems to be on their part a constant hunger for more space. Soon the Canadian Tire Store, recently the Kent store, either one of which with modifications would have provided the area, the breadth and height, for exhibition areas, storage, work areas and offices, not to mention large parking lots. No need to build something from scratch, there’s always another box store on the move leaving yet another glorious opportunity to house the Museum.

Now most people realize that it isn't the cost of the “physical plant” so much that alarms government, no, it’s the long-term and ongoing costs ( a Director, Curators, Preparators, Security etc. etc.) with all the attendant salaries, pensions and so on, not to mention the cost of establishing a collection and of maintaining it. At the same time, a visible Provincial Museum would provide yet another important cultural destination in order to attract visitors to PEI, not to mention the teaching possibilities that would be made available to our schools, college and university.

While we are on this topic what about a Provincial Art Gallery as well, something that does not exist at all? In fact, although the general public might believe that this is what the Confederation Centre Art Gallery is: not so. The CCAG is a national monument and its first and foremost mission is to represent Canada to Canadians. The CCAG has always done a fine job of acknowledging the fact that it is located here on PEI, exhibiting work by professional Island artists as often as it can possibly manage, still its wider commitments do not permit a concentrated focus upon the growing community of artists here on PEI.

I bring up the topic of a Provincial Art Gallery here (are we the only province without one?) because with some imagination, both a Museum and Gallery could occupy the same re-purposed ex-box store structure. Loading platforms, work spaces, parking areas, even some personnel such as preparatory, security and custodial services could be shared between them. Such a Gallery, I would suggest should take the function of a “kunsthalle” a purely exhibition space, without a collection and hence without many of the attendant space and personnel costs of most public art galleries.

What a wonderful 2017 project (the 150th Anniversary of Confederation looms) this could be, to house both of these homeless “institutions” leaving Islanders with a proud heritage to mark that anniversary year. I know we are still in the thrall of the somewhat-manufactured excitement commemorating the events of 1864 but it will be a long wait for another commemorative moment if something like this project is not undertaken for 2017 and that means that the planning and development for such a project should begin now.Source: www.BUZZon.com