A project at the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village has concluded and the use of OTF funding was acknowledged last week.
The team with the museum was joined by Essex MPP Anthony Leardi last Thursday evening to celebrate a $150,000 capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The money funded an initiative to improve education, community engagement and accessibility at the Arner Townline site.
“I’m very excited to see the results of the grant,” said Leardi. “I’m very happy to see it.”
Leardi added: “Thanks to the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village will be able to create an immersive blacksmith exhibit, and make their facility more accessible for everyone. Everyone should bring their family to see the cars at the museum, and tour the Heritage Village.”
Following remarks in a pavilion in the village, a ribbon cutting was held in the new blacksmith lodge, with the cabin being donated by Robert Blais and his family. A demonstration was also held by blacksmith Chad Bonifazi.
Karolina Brozy, curator of the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village, outlined how the upgrades are helping with the thousands of visitors and students they get at the site. She noted they had one year to complete the work as a condition of the grant.
Making the village and the museum accessible to more people was a priority, with Brozy stating a number of buildings were upgraded. The grant funded the new blacksmith shop for educational programs, upgrading of the bathrooms for accessibility purposes, upgraded lighting fixtures, added eight ramps to historic buildings, addressing structural repairs to protect building longevity and provided for a bilingual audio tour to assist those with hearing impairments.
Brozy also pointed out new video equipment will allow the museum to “expand our reach to those who can’t visit us in-person.” She noted volunteers have put in 1,344 hours towards educational programs at the site this year.
“We want to thank the OTF for its support,” she said. “With these updates, we’re excited to welcome more visitors of all abilities and ensure they enjoy a safe, comfortable and inclusive experience. Our programs and facilities are now more accessible and these enhancements will allow us to continue preserving and sharing our local heritage.”
For more information about the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village, please visit www.ctmhv.com.
By Ron GiofuCTMHV celebrates OTF funding used for improvements at the site
Comments