The Almanac

The

Almanac Museum: 45820 Spadina Ave Chilliwack, BC, V2P 1T3 604.795.5210

Archives: 9291 Corbould Street Chilliwack, BC V2P 4A6 604.795.9255

www.chilliwackmuseum.ca info@chilliwackmuseum.ca

CONTENTS

Archives Open House October 15 A Summer of Shelving Programming News Saturday, October 15th will mark the completion of the NEW Chilli- Museum Gets a New Roof wack Archives with an open-door event for the public from 1:00pm Curatorial Corner - 3:30pm.

Exhibition News Summer Student - Selena Kang The Archives Open House event will, for the first time, allow the Fundraising Continues public to walk our aisles of artefacts, providing guests with a rare glimpse into STAFF how the community’s treaRon Denman, Director sures are bePaul Ferguson, Heritage Collections ing kept for Manager perpetuity.

Brenda Paterson, Education Coordinator Alison Adamson, Administrative AssisGuided tours tant happening evShannon Bettles, Heritage Records Manery 15 minutes ager at the Archives will take you BOARD OF DIRECTORS through the newly expanded research room, the archival department, and the Fred Feistmann, President artefact storage wing.

Pauline Heppner, Vice President Anna Erho, Treasurer The new 4,000 square foot addition to Evergreen Hall is the largest Tia Halstad, Director of it’s kind in the Fraser Valley. The purpose-built, half million dol- Bea Mazurenko, Director lar storage facility houses Chilliwack’s artefacts, archives, art and Esther Harder, Director photograph collections, utilizing over $100,000 worth of custom Charlie Fortin, Director rolling shelving units in an environmentally controlled building. Jason Lum, Director The Museum and Archives staff are pleased that facility meets professional museum standards and are excited to work in the largest Archival facility in the Fraser Valley.

ARCHIVES OPEN HOUSE OCTOBER 15

FALL 2011

tion, the museum building, also housed a roomful of objects. To finally have the collection housed in one Wow! What a busy summer! The “summer of shelving” location was a dream for Paul. “We owe a lot to Paul ended with the final installation of fixed and rolling and our two summer students” said Museum Direcshelving units in the new archives addition. Installa- tor Ron Denman. “This was a massive project that tion of the shelving began in June and ended in late without Paul’s organizational skills and knowledge of September. Moving the collection into the new facil- the collection would not have been accomplishment ity began in July and has continued through August with the speed that it was” added Denman. and September. Paul Ferguson, Heritage Collections Manager, organized the move. Valerie Kousaie and Several City staff members have also contributed to Selena Kang, our two summer students, hired through the success of the project. Dave Parsons the City’s a Young Canada Works in Heritage Institutions grant, building manager and his crew as well as Ryan Mulligan, who worked with the building contractor, have provided much needed help for Paul. helped us immeasurably, especially when unexpectDuring the construction phase objects were moved ed problems arose.

A SUMMER OF SHELVING

to several locations in Evergreen Hall. A third loca-

PROGRAMMING NEWS In July, the second annal week-long Museum Discovery Camp was again held at the museum. Each day the kids were presented with different culture and recreational activities such as included art projects, fossil making, crafts, swimming, bowling, and concluded with a pizza party.

The ever popular community Music and More program held at the library was also led by summer students Valerie and Selena. This year’s event attracted about 60 kids who had the opportunity to make a photo frame from a simple envelop and add a photocopied historical image from the archives collection to the frame.

The Museum and Archives are interested in your thoughts regarding public programming.

Take a moment to visit our website (www.chilliwackmuseum.ca) and complete a short poll, or get in touch with us.

Discovery Campers pose in garbage bags before beginning a project.

Teachers - the new school program brochures are ready - available at the Museum, Archives and online.

MUSEUM GETS A NEW ROOF

2010 - 2011 School Brochure is now online.

The museum buildingVisit received a new roof in early September. The 25-year old tar and gravel roof was rewww.chilliwackmuseum.com

placed by a new rubber membrane- style roof. Thank you to the City of Chilliwack for funding the project and to Dave Parsons for managing the upgrade.

CURATORIAL CORNER RNER Can you guess what the rest est of this picture is?

Hint: It has something to do with partment the new Chilliwack Fire Department Book pictured on right.

(Answer is on back page)

layed from our originally planned opening in June until October. AsWho Am I?: “I was born 12,000 sembly of the exhibit will begin years ago. I am 1,350 kilometres in the first week of October. The long and provide life to hundreds official opening date will be anof species. For most of my life, like nounced in early October. a young child, I was free to roam.

But in the last one hundred years, Meanwhile, parts of the exhibit, BC limits have been placed on where Electric Railway; More than Just a I can go. My life is changing. I don’t Tram, will move to the Surrey Muknow what these changes mean seum later in the fall. At the end of or how they will affect me but I do the Surrey run, some of the exhibit panels and photographs will be wonder about my future.” housed permanently in the Fraser If you guessed the Fraser River, Valley Heritage Rail Society’s interyou’re right. The archives expan- pretative centre in Cloverdale.

EXHIBITION NEWS

the history of the hop picking industry which is currently at the Fraser River Discovery Centre, will finally be dismantled at the end of October. The exhibit has been circulating to other museums for seven years.

Fraser Valley Reflections, an exhibit by Chilliwack artist Barry Morse runs from September 24 to November 9 in the Chambers Gallery at the museum. Morse will display watercolours, acrylics and drawings. The opening reception for the exhibit will take place on September 24 between noon and 2:00 sion program meant that the pm.

Brewer’s Gold, our exhibit about opening of this exhibit was de-

SUMMER STUDENTS - SELENA KANG Fall marks the end of our student staffers Valerie Kousaie and Selena Kang who rolled up their sleeves big time this summer, tirelessly moving the collections and running a summer kids camp.

Selena Kang began working in the Archives in June where she was immersed into a world of artifacts, documents and shelving. Working with curator Paul, Selena moved and put away an immense number of artefacts. Her positive attitude, smile and amazing waffles made her our favourite student this summer... ok... we love you too Valerie.

Selena Kang smiling at the Archives.

Selena has returned to school for her final year in business at UFV and continues to volunteer at the Museum & Archives.

CURATORIAL CORNER ANSWER: This is a Chilliwack fire hydrant. “TC” ,“Terminal City Iron Works”, has been in business for eighty years. Located in Langley, BC, the firm continues to manufacture fire hydrants as well as wedge valves, joint restraints and pipe fittings. The artifact is pictured in the Chilliwack Fire Department’s new 100th anniversary book, available from the Chilliwack Fire Department. [2005.032.001, CMA Collection]

FUNDRAISING CONTINUES! In the spring we launched a fund raising campaign. To date, over $228,000 has been raised. Our campaign is still ongoing so further donations are always welcomed. We would like to thank the following individuals, families and companies for helping us achieve our goal. Another $22,000 and we will reach our goal of $250,000.

Legacy Classic Sponsorship (over $5,000) Department of Canadian Heritage Canada Cultural Spaces Fund Chilliwack Foundation Marion Dyck City of Chilliwack Legacy Heritage Sponsorships ($1000 to $2499) Ewert and Eva Lock Kostrzewa Family Stan and Lily Ross Kory Lewis In Memory of Art and Gladys Turvey In Memory of Max Stewart In Memory of Neill M. MacGregor

Legacy Heirloom Sponsorship ($500 to $999) M.L. Walker Mertin Group of Companies Unimaxx Networks Inc. Triple B Plumbing Ltd. Hi-Cube Storage Projects Ltd. Jerry and Sasha Olynyk Legacy Sponsorships (up to $500) Harold Thorpe Morag MacLachlan Jim Harris Ruth Thomson Anna Erho Robert and Beulah Campbell Doug Steinson Remarkable Uniform Ltd. Dianne Vanden Brink Kerry Pashak Alberta Rafferty

Published by the Chilliwack Museum and Archives

Walter and Beryl Sussel B. and H. Wiens John (Jack) Ashdown June Hinds Philip and Beatrice Mazurenko Ryder Lake Women’s Institute John and Patricia Halstad Marilynne Black Margaret Crabtree Margot Brison Lesley Anderson Kathleen Funk Orland and Marilyn Hooge In Memory of Birch and Mary Van Horne In Memory of Lorna and Cecil Shaw

Marion and D.K. Soutar Barbara Shannon Bruce and Dorothy Prentice Owen Nelmes Emma Walker Elaine Griffiths