Editor’s note: This story appeared in the July edition of the South Cowichan Connector. This was the first edition of the Connector, a new publication for and about the South Cowichan Valley. Look for our August edition starting Aug. 6.
Museums are often the closest thing we have to a time machine, giving glimpses into a community’s past while aiming to shape it’s future. This is what the Shawnigan Lake Historical Society, a not-for-profit and registered charity wanted to create when they first formed in 1977.
Artifacts, photos, and archival records were collected from the community for the museum that first opened its doors in a waterfront boat shed on Strathcona Bay in the late 1970s. By 1983, the museum found its current home in the community’s original fire hall once the new one was built.
“The museum was very well received in the early days,” said SLHS executive director Lori Treloar. “It‘s still very valued today, but I’d say that there are still several locals who have never entered, which is something we are working towards. The building might be a bit of a deterrent, but we’re hoping that the new expansion, which will be more open and visible inside, will entice more visitors. The community has loved this building, first as the fire hall, and now as the museum, so we wanted to keep it and expand on it.”
SLHS celebrated its groundbreaking ceremony for its $2.1 million dollar expansion on June 3 at Elsie Miles Community Park where much excitement was in the air. Many community members were in attendance while guest speakers spoke from the heart about this passion project, which will look at bringing the past of the area into the future.
READ MORE: Shovels hit the ground on June 3 for Shawnigan Lake Museum’s Project Impact
“The expansion will take the museum into the future, as right now we are so limited for space,” said Treloar. “It will allow for more volunteers, staff, and visitors. We want to definitely be a tourist destination. Those that discover us are always happy to do so, but we need to build that reputation. We’re the go-to place to learn anything about the Kinsol Trestle, and are working on showcasing a huge, over-the-top Kinsol Trestle exhibit in our new space; it’s going to be amazing. The journey hasn’t been easy and funding has always been down to the wire but we also know we are doing this for our community. The expansion isn’t about having more exhibits, it’s about accessibility, and having the space to invite our community members in for more programming, and events.”
The small and quaint museum has big offerings including guided Kinsol Trestle walks upon request, and talks about the history of the area, and the impressive Canadians who spent time here including educator Alice Ravenhill, renowned journalist Bruce Hutchinson, and even Sir John A. MacDonald, whose only visit to B.C. was to Shawnigan Lake during a time when islanders were up in arms about the promised sea to sea railway that almost never was.
“Most people think of Shawnigan Lake as a sleepy recreation area, but it has an amazing story, and a very rich history; many significant things have happened here, it’s so surprising,” said Treloar. “Sir John A. MacDonald only made one visit to Shawnigan Lake when protesters were up in arms, and made threats that B.C. would secede from Canada, if the promised railway was not completed. This was momentous enough for Sir John MacDonald to visit here and drive in the last spike in August of 1886.”
Many took the midnight train to Victoria after taking the trek to enjoy town dances, while other chose to stay in one of the town’s former hotels. Treloar said not only were there special excursion trains, but also commuters, something that would be great to have today. Originally from Victoria herself, and with a background in education, after moving permanently with her family to the area in 2002, Treloar knew she was on the right track while embarking on a different kind of journey.
“I wanted to volunteer at the museum as it was a place of education, and I came in right at the moment when the former person who ran it was looking for an out,” said Treloar. “It was very run down and on the verge of closing. It was that serendipitous moment that we have in life where I was at the right place at the right time. With the help of others and no money in the beginning I was able to overhaul it, and redo it over time. The most rewarding part of this journey for me has been seeing the development from where we started with almost nothing, to where we are, and to where we are going. I think we are tiny, but mighty.”
The small space offers treasures that make a big impact such as the intimate 18 seat theatre visitors are greeted with upon entering, where they can enjoy an array of films created by former summer students, staff and volunteers. Aspiring filmmakers are always encouraged to choose a topic and create a masterpiece for the masses to learn from. The space has also been utilized to provide both school and adult community programming.
“Even with just 18 seats, it makes it a very intimate experience,” said Treloar. “This theatre is such a great space to share either a show or a talk, it’s very cool.”
Shawnigan Lake Museum may be small in size for now, but houses big treasures like the preliminary sketches of renowned Canadian artist and Shawnigan Lake’s own E.J. Hughes which he would revisit months, or years later to create a painting. On May 26, one of Hughes’s early paintings sold for $1.8 million and past pieces have gone for well over $2 million.
“E.J. Hughes did most of his important pieces while living in Shawnigan Lake,” said Treloar. “We have a little E.J. Hughes gallery that has a lot of his original drawings, which is amazing not only for us but people, because access to his art is very limited. Whistler has a big gallery with 19 of his pieces, 18 of which were painted while he lived in Shawnigan Lake. Most of his work went to big collectors across Canada, and are in private collections. So for us to have a glimpse of him here in Shawnigan is a huge asset for us. We will be quadrupling the size of the E.J. Hughes gallery as we expect to get more works down the road, and have a few stored that are not on display,” said Treloar. “We don’t have the big million dollar painting, instead we have his more intimate drawings, you can just imagine him sitting with his pencil sketching these early works.”
The past is present within the walls of the old Shawnigan Lake Fire Hall, and while the future expansion will not be completed until June 2024, there is no reason to wait a year to learn more about the community’s days of old.
“We want visitors to experience our rich history,” said Treloar. “We’re different than a lot of museums, and make every visit a very personal one and are very much involved. I want visitors to leave with a personal interaction. When I can tell people the backstory on the Kinsol Trestle, it’s a much richer experience for them when they go to see the sheer awe of it.”
chadd.cawson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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