Bushplane Museum set to re-open

Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, declared Sault Ste. Marie's #1 tourist attraction by Tripadvisor, will re-open on Wednesday, June 24.

Closed by the coronavirus emergency since March 17, the popular museum's re-opening was announced today by board member Richard Walker at a teleconferenced meeting of the Sault Ste. Marie Tourism Board.

"A positive note...we got the go-ahead to open," Walker told a meeting that was otherwise largely focussed on a possible winter comeback for the local tourism sector.

Edie Suriano, the museum's marketing and promotions coordinator, tells SooToday that the final decision to re-open was made today at a meeting attended by executive director Dan Ingram and staff.

The bushplane museum will initially open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays, until the COVID-19 situation improves further.

All visitors will be required to wear masks and to observe physical distancing.

Hand sanitizer will be provided, with each plane entered by visitors individually cleaned before the next guest may enter.

The museum consists of two hangars, one built in 1924 and the other in 1948.

The 1924 hangar was constructed to house an initial fleet of World War I surplus Curtiss HS-2L flying boats for the newly formed Ontario Provincial Air Service.

The second, larger hangar was added in 1948.

The Ontario government moved its fire and aviation division to the Sault Ste. Marie airport in 1991 and the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre moved into the waterfront hangars.