Aviation museum federal funds secured

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This article was published 23/07/2019 (2300 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada will officially touch down next to the Richardson International Airport in 2021, after securing long-awaited federal funding.

International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr announced $8.8 million will go towards the estimated $40-million project. The 86,000-square-foot, two-storey building will feature an observation deck, classrooms and new exhibits which will present various aspects of aviation history.

“Investments in cultural infrastructure are investments in us as citizens, as the creators of art, as the creators of institutions and ways of living that will be here for many, many generations to come,” Carr said at a news conference Tuesday in Winnipeg.

The federal contribution was made through the New Building Canada Fund, in addition to previous 2016 funding through Canadian Heritage’s Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.

The museum had previously operated inside a hangar on Ferry Road for more than 30 years, until the owner took back the property in 2018. When the museum closed, its aircraft and archives found temporary homes across the province; they will return to the collection when the new facility opens.

Some artifacts include a range of bush planes, rockets, helicopters and supersonic jets.

President and CEO of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, Barry Rempel, said the addition of the museum will enhance the province.

“It will truly be another jewel in the crown of what Manitoba, and what Winnipeg, is becoming. And it will be something I know that we will all be proud of,” Rempel said.

Terry Slobodian, president and CEO of the museum, said additional funding for remaining $10 million needed will be done through fundraising. So far, 600 donors have confirmed donations amounting to $15 million.

“A fully-funded project will ensure the museum operates in a sustainable fashion, and provides innovative and creative programs that educate, celebrate and elevate our proud aviation history,” he said.

“I think now, with our new location, we are going to have 4.5 million people, passengers, passing our museum every year… Now we have the opportunity to reach out to them and to invite them to come into our museum and to learn.”

Museum statistics from 2018 showed annual attendance at more than 31,000.

nadya.pankiw@freepress.mb.ca