NORTH VANCOUVER, June 7, 2008 - North Vancouver-area residents will have more opportunities to learn about their local heritage thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada.
Ed Fast, Member of Parliament (Abbotsford), on behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages and Minister for La Francophonie, today announced funding for the North Vancouver Museum and Archives Commission.
An investment of $37,000 in funding will be used for the Stewardship of North Vancouver's Community Museum Collections project. This project is intended to improve collections care and storage; to bring all collection-related planning, practices, policies, and procedures in line with accepted museological standards; and to improve public accessibility to the collection. This phase of the project is one of a three-phase multi-year effort to overhaul stewardship activities for a community-based collection of 17 500 artifacts.
"Local heritage institutions are important to the vitality of communities across Canada," said Minister Verner. "Museums help strengthen Canadians' awareness of our rich cultural heritage by providing them access to collections."
"The North Vancouver Museum and Archives collects, preserves, and presents the history of North Vancouver," said Mr. Fast. "The Government of Canada is committed to supporting facilities that enrich the cultural life of our communities and create a legacy of excellence."
"We are extremely grateful to receive this funding," said Nancy Kirkpatrick, Director of the North Vancouver Museum and Archives. "The North Vancouver Museum and Archives has served our community and collected its history for the past 36 years. This grant will enable us to make dramatic improvements in the way these artifacts are documented, cared for, and stored, making the museum collection more accessible to the public."
The Government of Canada has provided this funding through the Museums Assistance Program (MAP) of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program provides funding to Canadian museums and related institutions for projects that support the objectives of Canada's museum policy.
Information:
Dominic Gosselin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage,
Status of Women and Official Languages and Minister for La Francophonie
819 997-7788
Ginette Montreuil
Regional Manager
Communications
Western Region
Canadian Heritage
604 666-6504
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
