About Us
In 1997 a group of volunteers from the Prairie Mountain region in southwestern Manitoba began meeting to discuss concerns about the sustainability of local heritage sites. As rural populations continued to decline, financial and human resources available to preserve all of the local museums also declines. The concept of establishing a regional museum facility to house collections of significance to the region was developed.
Support in principle to pursue a regional heritage concept was forthcoming from the R.M. of Shoal Lake, Town of Shoal Lake, and R.M. of Strathclair and an interim Board of Directors was established. Prairie Mountain Regional Museums Collection Incorporated (PMRM) was incorporated under the Province of Manitoba's Corporation Act on April 6, 1999. Charitable Organization status was granted by Canada Customs and Revenue Agency on March 13, 2000. The Board began conducting annual meetings with Board elections and by-law reviews in January, 2001.
In April, 1999 PMRM received major support in the form of a donation of a significant private collection. Roland Clegg began restoring horse-drawn equipment in 1975 and presently the Clegg's Museum in Arrow River, Manitoba houses approximately 90 fully restored horse-drawn vehicles and accessories. The collection includes a World War I horse-drawn ambulance believed to be unique in Canada, a Surrey with the fringe on top that was used in the Rainbow Stage production of "Oklahoma", a covered grain wagon that was used in the recent production of Pioneer Quest, a summer and winter hearse, a J.R. Watkins peddlar's wagon with authentic household hints books and product tins, a 1916 John Deere plough buggy, and many more. In November, 2000 the collection was appraised by a certified appraiser for over $450,000 and a tax receipt was issued for the collection.
A condition of the donation of the Clegg Carriage Collection was that a suitable facility be constructed before the collection could be moved from the current Arrow River site. Working towards this goal, in the fall of 1999 PMRM purchased a quarter section of land at Northeast 1-17-23 West of the Principal Meridian between the communities of Shoal Lake and Strathclair and adjacent to Highway #16. Donations of labor and equipment from the R.M. of Shoal Lake, the Town of Shoal Lake, the R.M. of Strathclair, and community volunteers road throughout the summer of 2001 cleared the museum site and built an entrance.
Throughout the winter of 2001/02, PMRM developed a strategic plan for the future development of the museum site and its operation. A fundraising campaign including several major fundraising activities was undertaken and plans are underway to aggressively pursue individual and corporate donations and funding from foundations and government grants. A portion of all fundraising events is to be used to establish an endowment fund to make sure PMRM remains sustainable in the future. The two major fundraising activities were undertaken in 2002. The first was a raffle of twenty bred heifers, which raised $8000. The second is a three-year farm project which raised $10,000 in 2002 by leasing local land and planting and harvesting a crop of canola using donated inputs, equipment, and labor. This is a wonderful, high profile fundraiser that has permitted most of the businesses in our agricultural communities to participate. The wheat crop planted in 2003 raised an additional $8,000. to learn more about past and present fundraising go to What's New.
In 2002, five buildings were moved onto the site - the Olha School, McNarry house, Elliot house, and two buildings for storage. PMRM was accepted as a participant in the University of Manitoba's TechNet Program in the fall of 2002. Four teams of senior Universal Design students spent three months developing site plans and designs for the main museum facility. Each team made a presentation to the Board in December and the plans were displayed to the public at the Annual General Meeting in January. The Board has chosen one set of plans to develop further.
Restoration to all the rooms in the McNarry house was completed in the fall of 2008. This house has never had electricity or plumbing and works perfectly with the prairie mountain museum concept.
In 2004 the Board spent many hours with consultants from Cultural Visions Consulting, Veritas Design, and Corbett Cibinel Architects. They have completed an interpretive plan, drawing of a floor plan and capital and operating costs for a building. The 16,000 square foot building is projected to cost just under one million dollars. Since then the plans have taken form with the shell of the building completed in the spring of 2009 and plans to move the Clegg Collection on site, will take place in late July.
Events
Shoal Lake Grade Five Class comes and spends a day at the Olha School
Celebrating Manitoba Day - Every year on May 12, weather permitting, the Shoal lake Grade 5 class comes to the Olha School for the day. The class dresses up in period attire, including dresses for the girls and slacks with shirts for the boys. The kids start the day off by walking a mile to school, carrying along their honey pails. Activities throughout the day include: horse-drawn buggy rides, making butter with a churn, classes in the Olha School complete with ink pens and slate chalkboards, playing Ant-I-Over, potato sack races, as well as listening to guest speakers elaborating on their experiences in one-room schoolhouses thoroughly enjoy their time, and learn to appreciate the conveniences of the modern life. This opportunity is also open to any school that is interested. For more information, please visit the "Contact Us" section of the site.
McNarry House
The McNarry House was completed in 1908, and was moved from Foxwarren, Manitoba to its current site at the museum. It has been fully restored, inside and out, and is available for visitors to relive the lifestyle of a family from that era. The rooms have been outfitted a variety of donated artifacts and period furniture, as well as photographs and records from the original owners, the McNarry family. Points of interest include kitchen stove which was purchased by the McNarrys as a second-hand item, and so is truly a rustic gem. Tours are available all summer long, from May-September.
Fundraising activities are ongoing so Check out
"What's New" to keep up to
date with our activities.
Board Members
| Don Yanick, President | Mayor of Shoal Lake |
| Ernie Peleshok, Vice President | Councillor - Municipality of Shoal Lake |
| Shirley Wowryk, Treasurer | Shoal Lake |
| Kristin Teall, Secretary | Shoal Lake |
| Jim Kennedy | Shoal Lake |
| Linda Earl | Strathclair |
| Fred Howad | Strathclair |
| George Anderson | Strathclair |
| Margaret Ann Howard | Newdale |
| Bruce Anderson | Strathclair |
| Ken Charney | Shoal Lake |