The Keremeos museum is moving forward with some needed upgrades.
Rob Showell, president of the South Similkameen Museum Society, said plans are underway to put in a natural gas furnace and replace the museum’s roof.
“We’ve received a few grants and held a fundraiser to raise money for the new furnace. It’s going to be nice. Previously there was an old oil furnace there. We will be taking the tank away on the outside of the building once we figure out something to do with it,” he said.
The museum society received $3,000 from the Village of Keremeos to help offset operating costs. Councillors voted to provide the grant at Monday’s regular meeting.
The society also recenlty received a $2,000 grant from the Community Foundation South Okanagan-Similkameen.
“With those grants and fundraiser we’re there with that but now we’ll need to focus on the roof,” Showell said.
Volunteers at the museum did some work on the roof this past fall when the area was receiving heavy rain.
Related: Keremeos museum moving forward
“The work that we’ve done is holding nicely. At this point we haven’t had any water come in. But we’re wanting to replace that roof before there is a problem, obviously.”
Quotes taken earlier in 2018 show that it would cost $10,500 to replace the roof.
Showell said a new quote will need to be taken before work is completed. He noted the museum is having a hard time nailing down a roofing company in the area to do the work.
“They’re very busy - roofing companies. We’re trying to get one in, but it’s very challenging,” he said.
The museum had it’s first grade school group through last week. Students from grades 5 and 6 attended the museum to learn about the community’s past.
“We had five or six volunteers in that were here to answer the children’s questions. I think they had a good time and we’re looking forward to having more of them come in,” he said.
The museum is planning to hold some kind of spring fundraiser and in addition does several meat draws at the Keremeos Legion to help raise money.
“It’s quite a bit more expensive to run this museum than the last. We pay taxes here and that’s about $3,000 so we’re very aware of the money we have to work with and are looking for more grants,” he said.
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