For the past seven years, the South Peace Regional Archives has been searching for a new place to call home. After much work writing proposals, presenting to funding partners, and fundraising, that dream will soon be a reality. In September 2020, the Board of Directors approved a move to the Heritage Discovery Centre in the lower level of Centre 2000. Grande Prairie City Council followed suit in November. Following these exciting approvals, Executive Director Alyssa Currie and President Jan Shields made presentations to the three other funding partners: Municipal District of Greenview, County of Grande Prairie, and Municipal District of Spirit River.
These photos are from the Pioneer Museum Society of Grande Prairie & District fonds (fonds 001) and show the construction of Centre 2000 circa 1999-2000, including the raising and placement of the cupola. Centre 2000 was designed by Al Robertson, who envisioned a community centre that would be a home for tourism, trade, and economic development.
We will be joining the Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce, Grande Prairie Regional Tourism Association, United Way of Northwestern Alberta, Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta, City of Grande Prairie Sports Development, and the Wellness and Culture Department. The lower level of the building is currently occupied by an interpretive museum, which will be relocated to the Grande Prairie Museum.
The relocation will expand the Archives’ space by 5631 square feet, eliminating the need for offsite storage and allowing for greater preservation of our collection. This move will also increase our visibility and the accessibility, as well as complement the existing services in Centre 2000. With the support of all our municipal funding partners, the next step in this acquisition is to develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Grande Prairie to demonstrate both parties’ commitment to this plan. By 2023, we should have a new, purpose focused facility to call our own.
