On a beautiful sunny morning this past week, museum manager Renee Pelletier and artist Nadia Christie were hard at work preparing for the grand re-opening of the Egmont Heritage Centre this weekend.
The museum’s eclectic mix of art, artifacts dedicated to the local fishing and logging industries, and an impressive collection of historical Indigenous objects, tell the stories of the shíshálh Nation who first settled in the area almost 10,000-years ago and the settlers who followed.
Grabbing a seat in a quiet back room, Pelletier explains the museum had recently been closed for several months while undergoing renovations, including a fresh coat of paint.
“So, I decided that I needed to get rid of the yellow — first thing that had to go — so I painted all the walls white so we could bring in some beautiful local art and then it would pop,” says Pelletier, who will eventually take on the role of curator at the museum. “We have a guy from Halfmoon Bay bringing in some cedar art that he does. He's bringing in three beautiful pieces tomorrow. And work from a new artist in Vancouver. They're absolutely stunning. It's all West Coast island and arbutus trees, that sort of thing.”
Upon entering the museum, colourful paintings create a vibrant backdrop to the gift shop/gallery located to the left, while the centre area is dedicated to a collection of Indigenous objects on loan from late shíshálh Elder, storyteller and performer Barb Higgins, including intricate beadwork, carvings, drums, paddles, cedar regalia and more. Higgins was the founding matriarch of the S-yewens Ihems (Spirit of our Family) Sila Canoe Family and her collection includes several hand-carved paddles.
To the right is the majority of the museum’s collection, which was largely donated by Billy and Iris Griffith, and is dedicated to early pioneer life in the remote area, including homesteading, fishing and logging. Griffith grew up fishing in Egmont and was one of the founders of the heritage centre through his work with the Skookumchuck Heritage Society, which he founded in 1994. William E. “Billy” Griffith, the society’s one and only president, died at age 86 in May 2021.
Other notable collections on display in the museum include a rainbow of Depression-era glass, marine engines, antique bottles donated by Lela Griffith, and glass fish floats in varying shades of blue.
Near the far-right wall sits a brown felt hat, which once belonged to the infamous Bergliot “Bergie” Asta Solberg, more commonly known as the “Cougar Lady.” Legend has it, Bergie, who lived in a cabin up the inlet from Sechelt, was a trapper who could bring down a cougar or bear. A book about her life and adventures entitled, The Cougar Lady: Legendary Trapper of Sechelt Inlet was published in 2014.
A beautifully carved memorial totem pole by master carver Arnold (Arnie) Jones stands at the front of the museum.
Meanwhile, Pelletier is the first to admit that, having only lived in Egmont for three years, she still has a lot to learn and hopes members of the community can help her fill in some of the gaps the museum has in identifying or offering more information on a few of the people and objects featured in the museum.
The grand re-opening takes place this weekend from June 28 to 30, and the team at the Egmont Heritage Centre welcomes all to drop by and check out the beer garden, food trucks, the work of local artisans and even relax with a massage.
Lots of free parking, a picnic area, washrooms and electric vehicle charging are also available on site. The heritage centre is located at 6671 Egmont Rd. in Egmont, directly across the road from the trailhead to the famous Skookumchuck rapids. Entrance is by donation.
Grand opening hours
June 28: 5 to 10 p.m.
June 29-30: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
