50 Years, 100 Acres At the BC Forest Discovery Centre!
add to outlook add to google calendar remind me
It was a sunny, cloudless day in 1966 when the Forest Museum opened officially for its first summer season. It was Saturday, June 4th, and among the earliest visitors were forest industry pioneers such as H.R. MacMillan, Hector Stone, Gerry E. Wellburn, and many others.
In their lifelong commitment to their communities and the forest industry’s legacy in British Columbia, these men and women laid the tracks (literally) for the establishment of the British Columbia Forest Discovery Centre as it is known today. Over fifty years ago, these industry pioneers and others from the Cowichan Valley community sought to relocate Gerry Wellburn’s exceptional collection of forest industry artifacts to a fifteen acre site overlooking Somenos Lake in Duncan.
As the Forest Museum grew, three more parcels of property were purchased between 1964 and 1967, thanks to the Municipality of North Cowichan, City of Duncan, and the Village of Lake Cowichan. By 1972, the Windeyer Farm, south of the Forest Museum was acquired by the Province of British Columbia for the Forest Museum’s use. By 1974, the 100 acre site that the BC Forest Discovery Centre sits on today had been fully assembled.
The hard work ethic and commitment, so evident in the life of BC’s forestry pioneers, remains the common thread binding everyone involved in the BC Forest Discovery Centre over the past fifty years.
It is a wonderful memory to share that on the occasion of Pioneer Day in 1991, Gerry Wellburn’s last visit to the Forest Museum, Gerry smiled, looked at the crowd of over 3,000 pioneers he was about to address and said, “I think you’re finally getting it right!” Visit the incredible display of artifacts and celebrate the progress of the BC Forest Discovery Centre and what lies in its future.
Enjoy the 100 acres of trails, hop aboard the train, and explore the various outbuildings depicting life of BC forestry pioneers!
| Cost: |
Adult: $See Website Child: $See Website Senior: $See Website Student: $See Website |
Category: |
Arts | Entertainment Museum Everything Else Community Sports | Recreation Outdoors |
| Location: |
BC Forest Discovery Centre
2892 Drinkwater Road, Duncan |
This event is for Everyone | |
| More Info: |
BC Forest Discovery Centre [email protected] 250-715-1113 Event Website |
Views: | 30494 |
