It鈥檚 been a year since the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives began raising money to fix its ailing roof, and if all goes as planned, the building will rock a shiny new dome before the end of May this year.
John Ogilvy is an engineer, and has been volunteering his time to help with the roof replacement project since it began. In an interview March 3 the former museum board member said that the contractor the board hired for the replacement plans to start work in late April, and should be finished within a few days.
Because two new air conditioning units were replaced ahead of the roof construction, Ogilvy said the process should be relatively painless.
鈥淲e鈥檝e basically got the roof cleaned off,鈥� he said, adding that when the snow is gone a little extra cleanup will be completed ahead of the job.
Last September the museum met its fundraising goal when it received a Community Facilities Grant from the provincial government for $39,000. That money added to funds they had already raised through a variety of events, such as a penny drive and community donations.
In total, well over $100,000 was raised, surpassing the museum鈥檚 fundraising goal.
Ogilvy said that while the roof is the first priority, he hopes the extra money can be used to shore up some of the other problems the building faces.
Like the roof, Ogilvy said there are a few potential leaks in the building鈥檚 basement that he would like to see patched up. He also hopes some of the unused doors can be torn out and replaced with properly constructed and insulated walls.
Those projects, he stressed, depend on how the roof project goes, and will depend on what kind of bankroll the museum is left with.
鈥淲e鈥檒l take it as we get money, and see how far we can make it go,鈥� he said.
Trevor Nichols
[email protected]
