When driving through most Alberta communities one can't help but notice the large iconic statues or figures standing tall. For Bonnyville this item is the 7-metre tall wood-carved statue of fur trader Angus Shaw located at the Bonnyville museum.
The statue is one of many iconic items at the picturesque museum grounds located on the northeast side of the community; a grounds that features 15 exhibits which all showcase an aspect of the region's history.
“Our museum shows the progressions of Bonnyville from what is was in the early 1900s to what it is today, and that is a really great thing for a community to have,” said Rachael Phillips, museum supervisor and technician.
Since the building opened is doors in 1991, the Bonnyville and District Historical Society have been preserving the local history, and offering residents a chance to take a trip back to the community's humble beginnings.
“I think the museum is an important part of society for us not to forget our humble beginnings,” said Bonnyville Town Councillor Ray Prevost.
“There is a lot of good historical stuff there for sure. I really appreciate it. I was there for Aboriginal day and I went into as many buildings as I could and it is always a treat.”
Prevost is one of many people throughout town who can use the museum to take a trip back down memory lane and relive their younger days.
“Every time I go there I see a lot of the equipment that my dad farmed with and the stones he used to sharpen his axe on. It brings me back fond memories. A museum is a pretty important part of any community.”
Along with a variety of tractors and other farming equipment the site features an old fire station, two churches, the 1920s Vallée Store, a replica of Durlingville schoolhouse, a small 1907 pioneer house, a representation of Angus Shaw's trading post, and the old Bonnyville water tower.
The museum is an incredibly important aspect to our community because it offers visitors a look at what life was like in this region for the first people who lived here,” said Phillips. “Our museum shows the progression of Bonnyville from what it was in the early 1900s to what it is today, and that's a really great thing for a community to have.”
MD of Bonnyville Councillor David Fox feels a museum is a must-have for any community and really enjoys what the Bonnyville museum offers the public.
“Absolutely it is important. It is a big part of this community. It is our history,” said Fox. “I am an antique collector so I think it is great.”
Fox isn't alone in this thought as fellow MD representative Reeve Ed Rondeau also feels the museum is an important part of Bonnyville and the surrounding municipalities.
“It is really important to have something like the museum. If you don't you lose that connection to the past and that is what museums are all about is preserving the past,” said Rondeau.
Just like Prevost, Rondeau is thrown back into the past every time he visits the museum and sees items that were around when he was a child.
“When I walk through that shed and I see the old cleaning mills that were hand operated it is just awesome,” said Rondeau.
Several University students come back to Bonnyville every summer to help operate the museum, which includes conducting tours of the facility.
Phillips is one of the museum technicians who recently wrapped up a series of tours with the local schools, which the museum offers every year.
The facility has also hosted a Seniors Day event, Aboriginal Day and is gearing up to be the host of the community's annual Canada Day celebration.
“The museum has been open for tours, school groups, and other events for decades, bringing community members from all different generations together in a celebration of the past,” said Phillips.
Both the MD and Town councils provide the museum with approximately $30,000 in funding every year to help with operating costs and other fees associated with preserving local history.
While some may think this fee is a steep one, many representatives on both councils are happy to provide the funding to keep such an iconic venue open to the public.
“We give (money) to both the Cold Lake and the Bonnyville museums and I think that if they can operate with the assistance of that $17,000 (each) than it is definitely well worth it,” said Rondeau.
Prevost agreed, feeling that the costs shouldn't matter as much when you are dealing with such an important aspect of the community.
“I do feel the cost is worth it,” said Prevost. “I'd like to see some more stuff put out there. If it was up to me I would go after that church that is behind the Midtown Motel. The inside of that church is absolutely beautiful and it is just sitting there obsolete right now.”
The Bonnyville Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends. The cost of admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children and $7 for a family.
