The Bonnyville Museum gives residents a glimpse into the past and present of the town.
The local museum kicked-off their season on Monday, May 6. They’re open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
In order to commemorate the role the Lyle Victor Albert Centre played in the community, along with the fact that the demolition is just around the corner, the museum will be displaying artifacts from the facility this summer.
”We see that it’s a very important part of Bonnyville history, and there’s a lot of the community involved in the shows that went on there. We think it’s important to honour the memory of it,” said Renee Baker, museum coordinator.
The Aurora Visual Arts Association (AVAA) will also have an area dedicated to their craft.
”One of our walls are going to be full of the society’s art pieces,” explained museum technician Shawna Bilodeau. “They actually work in our building just down on the first floor... so we’ve opened a wall for them to put up their artwork whenever they’re ready.”
Locals and tourists can enjoy artifacts connected to the history of Bonnyville, including a replica of Durlingville School House and a hospital display featuring an iron lung.
”Personally, my favourite is we have a fire hall display that has an old vintage fire truck that still works,” Baker expressed.
In the main building, there’s an area where people can dress up and have their photo taken in historically accurate outfits. There’s also an RCMP display, as well as a model train.
The museum hosts numerous events throughout the summer, and have already started planning the Canada Day opening ceremonies. Along with the seniors’ activities, Baker said they’re also hoping to add a kid-friendly event in July.
Working at the museum this summer has a family tie-in for Bilodeau. Her great-grandfather, Adelard Bilodeau, constructed the old log cabin.
”It’s kind of like a legacy... We’ve heard about it since we were kids, so it was interesting to have a picture of him in there with a little write-up. It was cute to see.”
Taking a trip to the local museum is an opportunity for locals and tourists to learn about what went into making Bonnyville the community it is today.
”If you’re living here, it’s a good thing to know how we started, where we came from, and just how far we’ve come,” noted Baker.
Bilodeau added, “It’s interesting to see, especially if (kids) come in with their grandparents. There’s a lot of really good stories. If they were to read everything on the walls and all the information posted around, it’s interesting, and it definitely gives you some background into who lived here, how they lived, and all that good stuff.”
