The Upper Ottawa Valley Heritage Centre, formerly known as the Champlain Trail Museum and Pioneer Village, is looking for financial support from the Township of Laurentian Valley. Council received a request on December 13th, 2022, from Museum Administrator Julia Klimack for a $5,000 municipal grant.
Klimack says the Upper Ottawa Valley Historical Society and the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group are coming together to better utilize resources. Klimack says the Upper Ottawa Valley Heritage Centre is planning an expansion to create more space for the collections and to make it easy for individuals to connect with the past.
Klimack told members of Laurentian Valley council that the plans for the expansion and surveys have been paid for by a board member who also recently paid for a chimney reconstruction because they didn’t have funds to cover the costs.
Klimack says the pandemic has been difficult adding in 2023, the Heritage Centre will be operating in a deficit with use of their reserves. Klimack says they are at risk of closing in the next two to four years.
The Museum Administrator says they hosted a number of successful events over the past year, but did not generate enough revenue.
Klimack says the $5,000 grant would help cover operating costs and allow the Upper Ottawa Valley Heritage Centre to continue to offer services.
Laurentian Valley Mayor Steve Bennett says the application for funding will be part of the 2023 budget deliberations for council to consider.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)