Goulbourn Museum Annual Report 14 www.goulbournmuseum.ca Sharing the Story of Ottawa’s Oldest Military Settlement FROM THE CURATOR MANAGER The Goulbourn Museum plays an instrumental role in preserving and sharing our commu- nity’s vibrant history. In 2014 we marked two significant anniversaries: the centennial of World War I and the 75th anniversary of World War II. Of course, these events changed the world, but the exhibition Homegrown Heroes highlights our local contribution. In conjunc- tion with the exhibition launch we planted an ivory silk memorial tree, kindly donated by the Fallowfield Tree Farm. We welcome you to add a name in memory of a loved one on your next visit. Thanks to our commendable team and our notable programs and exhibitions we saw a 23% increase in onsite visitation and a 16% increase in total participation. Additionally, the Museum was nominated for two awards in the West Ottawa Board of Trade’s People’s Choice Business Awards. Our fundraising expectations were exceeded by 43% and we received nearly 560 artefact donations. The third volume of Voices from Goulbourn’s Past, by Chairperson Linda Preston and her sister Cheryl McCoy, was released at Stittsville’s Arts in the Park event in May and quickly became a best seller. We were fortunate to partner with many new organizations in 2014. We worked with the Stittsville International Women’s Day Committee and Distinctive Women magazine to celebrate International Women’s Day. Together, we marked the occasion on Rogers Television and gave a historical presentation to students in Stittsville’s St. Stephen Catholic School. Other partnership activities included an art exhibition featuring work from students in Elemenopaint’s art classes and a unique boot-camp style obstacle course offered by the Canadian Armed Forces. Seven community organizations have partnered together to form the 2018 Unified Committee which will plan for the bicentennial of the settlement of Richmond. We’ll be working closely with the Richmond Village Association, Richmond Legion, Richmond Lions Club, Kiwanis Club of Goulbourn, Richmond Agricultural Society and the Goulbourn Township Historical Society over the coming years for this project. Additionally, the Museum has been a proud member of the Ontario By Bike Network since the spring of 2014. As part of this program, we now have picnic tables under the trees as well as a water cooler, bike rack and bicycle repair kit on site. Please stop in for a rest and a visit next time you’re cycling by. We welcomed Bram Blenk, Ken Cownley and Murial Gingras to the Board of Directors at our Annual General Meeting and hired Stephanie Miles on contract through the Pilot Program for the Youth Training Initiatives in Culture grant. Over 61 volunteers put in 1,736 hours of their time to assist with programs, events, fundraising, digitization projects, artefact cataloguing, governance and planning efforts. We couldn’t have done it without you. Kathryn Jamieson 2 2014 SUCCESS STORIES TABLE OF CONTENTS The Museum partnered with the Canadian Armed Forces for this GOULBOURN MUSEUM year’s Father’s Day event ANNUAL REPORT 2014 which commemorated Goulbourn’s contribution to WWI & WWII. Over 400 From the Curator Manager 2 visitors attended Home- grown Heroes to com- pete against dad in the Mandate / Mission 3 military obstacle course, examine a WWII jeep, 2014 Successes 3 transmit live messages via Morse Code, and more. Outreach, Programs 4 The Museum was entrusted with a Pattern Exhibits, Collections 5 George IV British Infantry Officer’s Sword that once belonged to Colonel Museum ArteFACTS 6 George Thew Burke of the Carleton Militia. Made in The Year in Review 7 the 1820s, this full dress sword was donated by Burke’s third great grand- Staff 8 daughter. “I wish to share this artefact with the museum so that others Board and Management 9 will have the opportunity to see it.” Partnerships 10 We received $5,000 from the City of Ottawa’s Pilot Contributors 11 Program for the Youth Training Initiatives in Culture. We were able to extend Members 12 the hours of our Curatorial Assistant & hire Collections Intern Stephanie Miles for 12 weeks. Stephanie was instrumental in preparing MANDATE/MISSION the Museum’s records for the public artefact database. The Goulbourn Museum will disseminate the material and oral With interest in fibre arts on the rise, the Museum’s history of Goulbourn Township by knitting circle, Yap & Yarn, collecting, preserving, displaying and saw a steady increase in interpreting local artefacts. The participants in 2014. In November the group Museum will offer a range of rallied together to “yarn educational programs to increase the bomb” the railings in front public’s understanding and enjoyment of the Museum. Known as fibre graffiti, the final prod- of local history. A History Centre is uct added festive flair to open for genealogical and local history our annual Old-Fashioned Christmas. research. 3 OUTREACH, PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS: ENGAGEMENT FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGES ON THE ROAD AGAIN INAUGURAL WALKING TOUR OF RICHMOND The International Women’s Club of Ottawa got a rich lesson in local history during the Goulbourn Museum’s inaugural walking tour of Richmond. The group included dignitaries and women from Indonesia, Korea, Japan and Nigeria. In addition to this new tour of Richmond, the Museum has also developed an interpretive walking tour of Stittsville. Both are available to the public and can be booked by calling or emailing the Museum. I REMEMBER WHEN... PRESENTATIONS SPARK MEMORIES Due to an increase in demand, the Museum gave 166% more older adult presentations and programs in 2014. Dressed in period costume, Museum staff give a brief presentation about Goulbourn’s history followed by a hands-on presentation of some local artefacts. Participants enjoy sharing their personal stories from childhood and our staff often come away with fresh insight into how the artefacts were actually used. 4 EXHIBITS, COLLECTIONS AND RESEARCH PRESERVING OUR PAST WHAT’S NEW GOULBOURN MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS The Museum launched Homegrown Heroes which tells of life beyond the trenches in Goulbourn Township during WWI & WWII. In addition to artefacts from the Museum’s collection, the exhibition also features items on loan from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa Regimental Museum. The new exhibit space features moveable wall panels built by Right: Tracey Donaldson staff and volunteers which will and volunteer Anthony Bill continue to be used in future construct the bones of the exhibitions. Homegrown Heroes exhibit. EXTRA! EXTRA! LONG-TIME VOLUNTEER HONOURED In 2014, the Museum Long-time received two editions of volunteer the Ottawa Citizen Brenda Holtz newspaper dated was awarded Tuesday, August 14, and the Heritage Wednesday, August 15, Advocacy 1945. Award for her extensive The papers capture Ottawa’s reaction to research into Brenda Holtz, centre, receiving the Victory in Japan and subsequently the end Goulbourn’s Heritage Advocacy Award. of the Second World War. The newspapers WWI veterans. What started as a single scrap- preserve the headlines, “Japan Surrenders!” book quickly evolved into multiple volumes, all and (pictured here) “Peace at Last! Allies of which are on display as part of the Issue “Cease Fire” Order As Japan Surrenders. Museum’s Homegrown Heroes exhibition. Ottawa Celebrates Joyously, With V-J Holiday Among the information contained in the six Today”. books are attestation papers for each veteran and photographs, where available. 5 557 ARTEFACTS DONATED 163 FEET OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS 42% INCREASE IN VOLUNTEERS 23 % INCREASE IN ONSITE VISITATION 166 % MUSEUM INCREASE IN OLDER ADULT PROGRAMMING ARTEFACTS 13,932 TOTAL MUSEUM PARTICIPANTS 43% 2,457 INCREASE IN FUNDRAISING MUSEUM VISITORS REVENUE 10,893 25% PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS INCREASE IN FACEBOOK FANS 47 WORKSHOPS 14% & LECTURES INCREASE IN TWITTER FOLLOWERS 13 PROMOTIONAL OUTREACH 37% EVENTS INCREASE IN BLOG VIEWS 12 54% SPECIAL EVENTS INCREASE IN PINTEREST FOLLOWERS 876 SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES 11 PUBLICATIONS 204 59 ENTIONS IN OCAL APER M L P COMMUNITY PARTNERS 6 THE YEAR IN REVIEW JANUARY • Beavers program • Doors Open Ottawa • 2018 Unified Committee • Applied Museum Studies • Councillor’s Park Party meeting APRIL presentation • Homegrown Heroes event • Mansion Mayhem • School program children’s workshop • Sparks program • Homegrown Heroes • The Write Stuff calligraphy • National Capital History Day, exhibit (June-Dec) Confederation Education Centre NOVEMBER exhibit, Community Cabinet • Two school programs (Jan-May) • Kidsfest, • Homegrown Heroes traveling Ottawa Ernst & Young Centre JULY exhibit, Stittsville Library FEBRUARY • Older adults presentation, • Older adults presentation, • Canada Day program, West Ottawa Community • Winterlude, Ottawa City Hall West Ottawa Community Goulbourn Rec Complex • International Women’s Day Resource Centre Resource Centre • Evening of Appreciation event outreach, CTV News • Girl Guides program • Sparks group program • Family Day event • Annual General Meeting AUGUST • Governance workshop • Heritage Day outreach, • Fascinator workshop, • 1812 traveling exhibit, • Old-Fashioned Christmas Ottawa City Hall International Women’s Club Stittsville Library (Aug-Sept) & Outdoor Artisan Market of Ottawa MARCH • Colonel By Day display DECEMBER Bytown Museum MAY • Older adults program, • Bridal Fashion exhibit, • Lansdowne Opening Stittsville United Church • Older adults program, Kanata Seniors Centre • Older adults museum tour • International Women’s Day Top Generation