PHOTO BY ARIELLE GODBOUT Enlarge Image

Bob Holliday pictured at the St. Vital Musum.

The St. Vital museum is exhibiting high hopes for a $15,000 city grant to help it develop new displays and commemorate historic sites within the community.

The museum — which is operated by the St. Vital Historical Society out of the old fire hall at 600 St. Mary’s Rd. — has passed the first hurdle towards attaining a $15,000 community incentive grant from the city.

On Jan. 9, the Riel community committee — consisting of councillors Brian Mayes (St. Vital), Justin Swandel (St. Norbert) and Dan Vandal (St. Boniface) — voted in favour of providing the historical society with the grant.

However, because the committee waived some of the criteria that groups must usually meet for the grant — which is normally dedicated to facility improvement for non-profit community recreation and sports groups — the grant must now be approved by the city’s standing policy committee on protection and committee services and city council.

Bob Holliday, president of the historical society, said the group is cautiously optimistic.

"We can cross our fingers. We’re hopeful," he said.

Mayes said the project was worthy of a grant, despite not fitting all the tradition criteria.

He agreed to contribute $10,000 from St. Vital’s allocation of overall community incentive grant funds, while both Vandal and Swandel put forth $2,500 from their respective allocations.

"I feel strongly that the museum, in celebrating the history of St. Vital and its early residents, shows respect for the people who built up this area, and who raised families here," Mayes said.

Holliday noted the museum received a community incentive grant of $8,500 in 2008, which allowed it to significantly enhance the museum’s exhibits.

He said the museum is becoming more dedicated to the area’s role in helping to create Manitoba.

"Regardless of what other people may claim, St. Vital was the cradle of Manitoba," he said.

"This is were Louis (Riel) and, I believe, three of his confidantes came from, and there’s been nothing out here to commemorate the fact."

With the new grant, Holliday said, the museum would not only create additional permanent displays — such as one dedicated to St. Vital’s agricultural history — but also work to commemorate historical sites within the community, such as the location of Louis Riel Sr.’s grist mill.

"We want to put up plaques, or cairns, or markers telling people this is where Louis’s mill was, " he said.

Holliday said the museum plays an important role in commemorating St. Vital’s history, which he worries will be forgotten unless more is done.

"We just let this stuff go. It’s a travesty."

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