The New Canadian Canoe Museum Building Looks To Be Open By 2023
The Canadian Canoe Museum held a live virtual meeting to highlight some of the new features of the new building and property (located at 2077 Ashburnham Drive in Peterborough, Ontario) where they will be constructing a new modern museum. The two-storey building will include seven exhibit halls that will heavily tie in to First Nations culture and history as well as house the 600 canoes in the collection. It is estimated that the new building will cost somewhere between $35 million and $40 million to construct.
Exhibits
Headwaters
All my Relations
Connected by Canoe
Design, Ingenuity and the Maker
Pushing the Limits
Inspiration
Temporary Exhibit Zone
Bill Lett from Lett Archetics Inc. walked us through the project advisors that ranged from Environmental, Geotech Atchelogy and Environmental Advisors that are all contributing to help piece the museum together. He also walked us the design of the 65,000 square feet building which includes exposed timber and a ‘skin’ of weathered Corten steel siding that will create a tactile element. The building will be fully dark-sky compliant and will include windows that will include bird safe glass.
Stewardship and sustainability were important to the development of the property. Trees that will be removed due to construction will have a replacement tree planted on site with the goal of bolstering the existing woodlot. Very minimal hardscaping will be done and the museum will use existing nearby parking to supplement their own lot and reduce the amount of paving they will need to do.
The Trans Canada Trail (which will run along the Eastern edge of the property) will remain open and accessible throughout the build and will be a key part of how people will access the museum in the future. Many new trees and native plants will be planted on the property to tie in everything from interpretative programs to enriching the land itself (and ensure shoreline stability).
The Artisan workshop will also double as an event space that will spill out into the sizeable atrium itself which also has a large fireplace.
The retail store and reception desk will greet you as you enter the main door and the stairs take you up to the 17,000 square foot exhibition hall.
More than 500 full-sized watercraft will be stored on individual mounts and arranged on racking systems. There will be a small-artifacts storage unit as well.
The museum aims to obtain a Class A conservation standard including the ability to host smudging ceremonies. Class A will ensure that the artifacts will be conserved properly, a feature that the current building does not offer. There will also be an accessible Library and Research Room.
All way-finding signs will be trilingual and will include English, French and Anishinaabe.
The Lakefront Terrace will be out the door past the café (You won’t need to pay admission to access the cafe and can paddle up to it and dock at one of the nearby docks) and be a great outdoor space that can be used for programming, outdoor events or just general relaxation. The Canoe House will be the hub for ‘on water activities’ (there are plans for these facilities to be fully accessible as well to allow anyone to come paddle!) such as Voyageur Canoe tours for both schools and the general public. Canoe and Kayak skill courses will be offered here as well, or paddling nights which can offer unique paddles in craft from the museum.
The museum hopes to open by the Summer of 2023 and construction will commence in the October-December 2021 timeframe. Carolyn admits the plan is ambitious but they believe the plan is achievable and 90% of the funding has already been obtained.
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