The South Similkameen Museum Society just had a $50,000 load taken off their shoulders.
It was announced recently that the museum is the recipient of a BC Museum Association provincial Canada 150 grant.
The grant will be used to move the current museum, which was a BC provincial police office and jail, to the future location of the museum at the Masonic Hall on 9th Avenue.
“It was going to be a challenge to do this with no money,” John Armstrong, from the museum society said. “This is a marvelous opportunity for us.”
The last time the building was moved – it was moved by horses. Of course this time that won’t be the case.
Armstrong said professional engineers will work out plans and a company will be hired that is experienced in moving buildings. He expected the entire $50,000 to be used on the move from packing up the old museum, to moving it and securing it at the new location.
“By the time we got it over there and the property set up, I figure unfortunately the entire amount will be used. We think we’ll have to build a bit of a foundation at the new museum,” he said.
The provincial police office and jail was first built in 1907 in Keremeos centre, which was approximately three kilometres north of present-day Keremeos.
The building was moved to where it is now in 1917 using horses.
It was used as a police office and jail until 1959 about nine years after the provincial force turned into the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The building was unused for a few years and then used for about eight years a municipal office for the Village of Keremeos.
The building has been used as a museum since 1972.