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A major investment for Sault Ste. Marie (Updated, 11 photos)

Local dignitaries took part in an official groundbreaking ceremony at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site Monday to celebrate the long-awaited beginning of construction of the site’s new Heritage Discovery Centre.

Local dignitaries took part in an official groundbreaking ceremony at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site Monday to celebrate the long-awaited beginning of construction of the site’s new Heritage Discovery Centre.

Pictured are Sault Ste. Marie MP Bryan Hayes, Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Debbie Amaroso, Sault Ste. Marie Historic Sites Board Chair Kathryn McAuley Yukich and Constituency Assistant Cindy Ellen Crawford on behalf of Sault Ste. Marie MPP David Orazietti.

City Councillor Susan Myers, who presided over Monday’s ceremony, told SooToday.com that the project, funded by all three levels of government, is the biggest historic site investment in Sault Ste. Marie in many years.

Total cost of the Heritage Discovery Centre is approximately $4 million.

The federal government is providing $1.9 million toward the project (from its Canadian Cultural Spaces Fund and 1812 Commemorative Fund).   

The Ontario government is providing $1 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC). 

Upon a formal request made to City Council April 22 by the Historic Sites Board, City leaders approved $850,000 in municipal funding for the project.

City officials remain hopeful of private sector dollars coming forward to support the Centre.

Avery Construction is building the facility, designed by Sault architect Chris Tossell.  

Addressing an audience of local VIPs assembled for Monday’s ceremony, Mayor Amaroso praised the municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee for its input in ensuring the new facility will pose no barriers for those visitors with mobility issues.

Amaroso added: “Heritage and culture is one of the growth areas in tourism and this investment well positions this community to capitalize on investments that are being made by Ontario Tourism as well as Tourism Sault Ste. Marie.”   

The project means 40 construction jobs, with two additional permanent jobs to be added to the Ermatinger Clergue site’s staff.

The Centre’s opening in spring 2014 will coincide with the 200th anniversary of completion of construction on the Ermatinger Old Stone House and the end of the community’s three-year commemoration of the War of 1812.

That war, under British leadership, ensured the freedom of what eventually became known as Canada, from U.S. rule. 

Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site Curator Kathy Fisher told us the Heritage Discovery Centre, at 6,700 square feet, will feature a multi-purpose theatre, a gallery dedicated to the community’s role in the War of 1812, an expanded gift shop, administrative offices and an archival and artifact storage room. 

“The administrative and archival storage is something we currently don’t have, and it’s what we require to meet museum standards,” Fisher said.

Currently, the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site operates from April to December, but beginning next year, both the Site and the Heritage Discovery Centre will operate year-round.

The Clergue Blockhouse will continue to operate on a seasonal basis.

“We’ll be adding to our staff but we don’t immediately know the details of that because we’re still developing our new year-round operations plan,” Fisher added.

The Heritage Discovery Centre’s opening will allow increased space for expanded Summer Kitchen Interpretive Centre programming within the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site.

Fisher said that will allow more bus tours and school tours to see the Summer Kitchen.

Fisher said more than 20 groups (such as wedding groups) could not be accommodated in 2012, representing a loss of $10,000 in potential revenue because of the currently limited space at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site.

Now, that will change.

While it is difficult at this point to project the increased number of visitors, Fisher said: “The number of visitors will expand because of year-round operations.”

“It will help us and the Bushplane Museum as a destination in this end of town.”

“It’s exciting,” Fisher said.

“We’ve been waiting for this since 2006 when the Historic Sites Board started to pursue this.”

“They’ve been on a mission since then and it’s very exciting to see this come to fruition.”

“The numbers of people we will be able to accommodate, especially through school tourism, is the really exciting part.”

“We can keep educating the next generation about our history,” Fisher stated.

 


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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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