Recent projects at the Saanich Pioneer Museum are being celebrated Saturday against the backdrop of the site’s 85th anniversary.
A 2 p.m. event will mark the opening of an access ramp and a storage building at the 7910 Polo Park Cres. facility in Central Saanich.
Activities will start with a ceremony that will be held outside if weather permits.
The museum is operated by the non-profit Saanich Pioneer’s Society, a group dedicated to preserving historical records on the Saanich Peninsula. The society was created in 1870, faded away, then began a revival in 1922.
The log structure is thought to be B.C.’s oldest purpose-built museum, having opened its doors in 1933.
“We get people saying it must have been a neat place to live,” said museum volunteer Norma Sealey. “Well, it actually never was.”
She said the ramp has been in the works for some time.
“We had a Canada 150 grant,” she said. “It’s taken longer than we expected but we finally got it finished.
“For years we have hoped that we could eventually get an access ramp because we have a number of people who are older, and we sometimes get nursing homes that want to come and do tours.”
Highlights in the museum are a simulated pioneer kitchen, a handicraft display, books for loan and a collection of First Nations artifacts. Archival material is available to the public on request.
“And there’s a huge fireplace that everybody loves,” Sealey said.
Regular sessions are held at the museum for various groups, including spinners and knitters.
The museum is open Saturdays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is by donation.
