City Receives Nearly $3 Million From OLG As Gaming Revenue Share

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has provided $2,973,019 to the City of Peterborough in the 2024 Fiscal Year as its share of gaming revenue from Shorelines Casino Peterborough as a host community, in a cheque presentation at the Canadian Canoe Museum on Tuesday afternoon.

Since the gaming site opened in October 2018, the City of Peterborough has received $13,844,047. Municipal government members and OLG representatives with the check of over $2.9 million from hosting Shorelines Casino. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

“The Canadian Canoe Museum is an integral part of our City and an integral part of our culture and heritage,” Mayor Leal said. “Being a casino host community allows us to reinvest OLG revenue in areas where it will support residents and help our city grow.”

According to a press release, in 2023/24, the City used the funding from Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) for investments such as planting trees, improving trails and the cycling network, building a splash pad, and contributing to the Canadian Canoe Museum’s capital campaign.

“OLG is proud to be a vital part of the City of Peterborough,” said Kathleen Devine, OLG’s Senior Municipal Relations Manager. “Each and every year, 100% of OLG profits are reinvested in Ontario to support provincial priorities. From critical infrastructure to important local programs, to community festivals, OLG’s profits are hard at work in Peterborough and all across our province to build stronger communities. When you play at an Ontario casino, like Shorelines Casino Peterborough, you play for Ontario.”

The City of Peterborough is contributing $4 million toward the Canoe Museum’s capital campaign to support the construction of the new museum that opened on Ashburnham Drive, next to Little Lake, in May. The City used $500,000 from its OLG revenue in 2023/24 to fund part of its contribution to the Canadian Canoe Museum as stated by a press release.

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Canadian Canoe Museum Set to Open In of Winter Next Year

The Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) is planning to open in the winter of next year, followed by a grand opening celebration in May announced on Wednesday morning.

Carolyn Hyslop, Canoe Museum Executive Director at the Exhibition Hall. Photo courtesy of he Canadian Canoe Museum.

The new museum's unveiling — which was to take place this fall — has been delayed due to nationwide construction industry issues according to a press release.

Once the facility opens, the museum will officially celebrate after the ice melts by launching canoes into the water.

“I am thrilled to announce that we will welcome our supporters to the new museum and campus the weekend of May 11th for our grand opening celebrations,” said Carolyn Hyslop, CCM executive director. “While the pandemic and its impacts on the construction industry have affected our timeline, it has not affected the spirit and enthusiasm for this project. It will be worth the wait when visitors can explore this beautiful facility and our many new offerings and then continue to the lakefront for a memorable paddling experience.”

The weekend of May 11th will have donors, partners, members, volunteers and dignitaries gather to celebrate the grand opening of the new museum and Lang Lakefront Campus which coincides with the start of the paddling season. The day also marks the launch of the CCM’s full visitor experience with on-water activities to honour Canada’s enduring paddling legacy as stated by CCM. A schedule of events will be released closer to the date.

The new museum will have 20,000 square feet of new exhibits featuring stories from around the world at their own pace or on a guided tour, Collection Hall, artisan workshops and food and drink from the Silver Bean Café.

A multipurpose room is available to rent for community and corporate meetings, conferences, events and weddings.

During the spring, the Lang Lakefront Campus will have space for on-water programming. There will be daily 90-minute Voyageur canoe tours that will offer a group paddling experience, while canoe and kayak rentals will be available for self-guided adventures. Children’s day camps, adult paddling courses and backcountry canoe trips will also run throughout the summer months.

There are 100 canoes and kayaks being moved into the new Exhibition Hall.

“Moving this first portion of the collection into its new home was an incredible moment in this organization’s history,” said Jeremy Ward, CCM Curator. “This collection is unlike any other worldwide and has been recognized for its national significance to this country. Now, it finally has a home befitting it. It was certainly an emotional moment for myself and our team.”

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, granted patronage to the CCM last year. In 2013, the Senate declared the CCM and its collection a cultural asset of national significance.

The remaining 500 watercraft are being moved to the new museum over the next two to three months.

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Canadian Canoe Museum Begins the Historic Move of Over 600 Watercraft and Artifacts

The Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) is preparing to relocate its entire collection from its current landlocked location to a new waterfront campus across the City; inviting the public to support through new fundraising campaign ‘Move the Collection: The Final Portage.’

photo courtesy of the canadian canoe museum, facebook.

The campaign is led by avid paddling enthusiasts and local community leaders Mike Judson and Neil Morton. As a symbolic gesture of the forthcoming move of the entire collection, the two will portage a symbolic canoe throughout Peterborough, from the current museum to its new 65,000-square-foot home for the campaign's duration, which will release videos at different milestones.

The CCM’s collection consists of more than 600 canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft (ranging up to 53’ long and weighing up to 1,500 pounds), hundreds of small artifacts and a library and archive. The collection was declared a cultural asset of national significance by the Senate in 2013.

The CCM has spent more than two years carefully preparing the collection for its upcoming relocation, cleaning and packing each artifact to ensure the utmost care during the move. The Museum has been temporarily closed since September 2022 to allow staff to remove artifacts on exhibit for the past two decades. When the new museum opens, it will also feature new exhibits, promising an enhanced and immersive visitor experience, including canoes and kayaks that have never been on public display.

McWilliams Moving and Storage has partnered with the CCM as its official mover of the collection.

“McWilliams Moving and Storage has been part of the CCM family since its inception with the first portage of museum artifacts from Dorset, Ontario, to Peterborough over two decades ago. We are honoured to continue this tradition as the Official Movers of the CCM and complete the final portage to a new architectural and cultural landmark in the city of Peterborough,” says Dan McWilliams, president of McWilliams Moving & Storage. “Having the opportunity to pack and transport these pieces of Canadian heritage allows us to be part of the journey and story of this national icon in our great City.”

As part of The Final Portage campaign, the CCM is releasing a series of videos and behind-the-scenes content this summer and fall featuring Mike Judson and Neil Morton portaging an iconic red canvas canoe past recognizable landmarks in Peterborough.

This will allow the public to follow the fundraising campaign’s progress while building excitement for the Museum’s reopening, anticipated this fall. To view the first video, visit the Canadian Canoe Museum website.

“Moving a collection of this size and scale in the span of months is no small feat for our team and supporters,” says Carolyn Hyslop, executive director of the CCM. “This move represents a pivotal moment in our museum's history. By relocating to the waterfront, we will not only enhance the accessibility and visibility of this extraordinary collection but also create a transformative experience for our visitors. We are inviting donors and sponsors to be a part of this monumental move and help us bring the legacy of paddled watercraft to a wider audience.”

“Canoeing is one of my great passions in life, and seeing this national treasure move to the water’s edge in this community I adore is a dream,” says Neil Morton, one of the campaign's Lead Portagers. “It’s fantastic to be a part of The Final Portage campaign and this historic moment with my fellow Lead Portager Mike Judson as we help carry this to the finish line!”

Surrounded by public parks, the Museum’s new home is located on a five-acre site at 2077 Ashburnham Drive that provides west-facing views of Little Lake and a connection to the Trans Canada Trail along the water’s edge in Peterborough. The purpose-built facility on the water, with an array of indoor and outdoor spaces, will allow the Museum to deliver on its mission in inspiring new ways. It will become a community space for outdoor activities, including the Museum’s canoeing and outdoor programs and events.

“Supporting initiatives like the Museum's historic move is an investment in preserving our shared heritage and cultural legacy. By contributing to this endeavour, we actively steward invaluable artifacts and ensure their accessibility to future generations,” continues Hyslop. “Institutions like ours serve as gateways to knowledge, inspiration, and understanding, and it is through your support that we enable the continued celebration and exploration of our collective history.”

The CCM invites donors and sponsors to join them in preserving history and shaping the future by supporting the campaign. Contributions will play a vital role in ensuring the safe and successful relocation of the world's largest and most significant collection of paddled watercraft.

Businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact Rose Terry, philanthropy associate, via email.

To donate to the Canadian Canoe Museum, visit the link.

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Canadian Canoe Museum Announces $1.775 Million Transformative Gift for New Waterfront Campus

The Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) announced Thursday a transformative gift of $1,775,000 to create a vibrant, community-oriented waterfront campus along the shores of the Museum’s future home at 2077 Ashburnham Drive.

Jeremy Ward (Curator), Rodger Wright (Fundraising Cabinet volunteer), Carolyn Hyslop (Executive Director), Stu Lang (donor), Helen Batten (Landscape Architect, Basterfield & Associates Ltd.) and David Hadden (Fundraising Cabinet volunteer) during a visit to the CCM’s future home. photo courtesy of the canadian canoe museum.

The Lakefront Campus and Gathering Circle, made possible by the philanthropic efforts of former CFL player and businessman Stuart (Stu) Lang and his wife, Kim, will offer visitors the chance to learn and build connections with the land, water, and community through immersive, authentic outdoor experiences that will create a new generation of paddlers.

The CCM's future home features a 5.3-acre Lakefront Campus that will extend and enhance the museum experience, offering visitors a variety of outdoor activities both on and off the water. The 1,200 feet of shoreline, docks, boardwalk, restored and naturalized spaces, and wetland will act as a multi-purpose outdoor classroom for learners of all ages and be an active community space.

"We are incredibly grateful and fortunate for the passion, vision, and generosity of the Langs. Stu has taken great pride in helping craft an active waterfront that can complement the Museum, with many of the ideas for the Lakefront Campus coming from Stu himself. This gift, confirmed in the fall of 2022, has grown to the transformative gift it is today because of the Langs’ commitment to excellence and elevating the CCM to a national level," said Carolyn Hyslop, executive director.

The future home of The Canadian Canoe Museum, set to open later this summer or early fall, will invite visitors to walk in the front door of the Museum and paddle out the back with an array of outdoor programming on its new Lakefront Campus. Render by Lett Architects Inc. Photo courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum.

A conceptual illustration of the Lakefront Campus and Gathering Circle. The new 65,000 square-foot museum and 5.3-acre Lakefront Campus on the Trent-Severn Waterway will not only care for the watercraft and chronicle their history, but it will also enable visitors to experience the magic of the canoe and the outdoors firsthand. The Lakefront Campus will feature a Gathering Circle, an accessible boardwalk to the Trans Canada Trail and waterfront, a Canoe House, a dock for voyageur canoe tours, a large dock for teaching and canoe and kayak rentals, an accessible canoe and kayak launch, and a walk-in canoe launch. Illustration by Basterfield & Associates Ltd. Photo courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum.

A conceptual illustration of the Lakefront Campus and Gathering Circle. The new 65,000 square-foot museum and 5.3-acre Lakefront Campus on the Trent-Severn Waterway will not only care for the watercraft and chronicle their history, but it will also enable visitors to experience the magic of the canoe and the outdoors firsthand. The Lakefront Campus will feature a Gathering Circle, an accessible boardwalk to the Trans Canada Trail and waterfront, a Canoe House, a dock for voyageur canoe tours, a large dock for teaching and canoe and kayak rentals, an accessible canoe and kayak launch, and a walk-in canoe launch. Illustration by Basterfield & Associates Ltd. Photo courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum.

An aerial view of the Lakefront Campus, taken on February 13, depicting construction on the boardwalk and Canoe House. Photo courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum.

A Gathering Circle outside the Museum’s main entrance will greet visitors arriving by car, bus, bicycle, or on foot. Inspired by Canadian canoe routes and water's impact on the landscape, the Gathering Circle will feature natural elements, emphasizing the relationship between land and water. A water infiltration garden, wood slat benches, and a small amphitheatre surrounded by large granite boulders and white pine trees will offer visitors a space for reflection and education before or after their adventures.

The redevelopment of the waterfront will also include an accessible, year-round boardwalk connecting the CCM to the Trans Canada Trail and the shoreline. There will be many opportunities to get out on the water with a walk-in canoe launch, two expansive seasonal canoe docks, and an adaptive canoe and kayak launch station. The docks and Canoe House will allow the CCM to host voyageur canoe tours, adult and youth paddling programs, certification courses, regattas and canoe and kayak rentals for the public.

The Lakefront Campus is an entirely new offering for the CCM, one where visitors can take their newly acquired skills and understandings outside and put them into practice immediately, creating a fully integrated visitor experience.

“Participants in a paddle carving or canoe restoration workshop will experience the excitement of testing their freshly honed skills on the water. Schoolchildren and campers will get their hands dirty while exploring the biodiversity of the wetland or learning to build a campfire. Seating and signage throughout the site will encourage visitors and trail users to take in the expansive views of Little Lake before or after visiting the galleries. And the docks, canoe racks and a connection to the Trans Canada Trail will encourage community connectivity and active, accessible transportation,” continued Hyslop.

The Lang’s are highly respected members of the Guelph community, contributing to the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), the Guelph Humane Society and Guelph General Hospital. They are well-known champions of Queen's University, their alma mater, and the University of Guelph, where the Lang School of Business and Economics is named after Stu’s father.

Stu had a successful eight-year professional football career with the Edmonton Elks in the Canadian Football League (CFL), winning five Grey Cups. He later joined the family business, CCL Industries, and worked there for 25 years before becoming a director of the company.

Stu and Kim also have a passion for camping and canoe tripping, having attended The Taylor Statten Camps in Algonquin Park. At these camps, they both developed a life-long passion and interest in canoeing, the outdoors, and educating youth about Canadian history.

"The Canadian Canoe Museum's world-class collection deserves an outstanding home. A fully realized Lakefront Campus and Gathering Circle are essential. They will showcase the canoe's incredible history and cultural significance and connect people to the land and water in a way that only hands-on experiences can. The new museum will be a place where people can come together, learn by doing, and be inspired by the stories and traditions of the canoe. It's an investment in our past, present, and future, and we are proud to be a part of it," says Stu Lang.

The Langs join a generous group of donors and funders across the country contributing to the Inspiring Canada by Canoe campaign, which has raised 95% of the $40 million cost for the project.

The new museum is made possible, in part, by the CCM’s lead donor and government partners, including the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), the Weston Family Foundation, the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, and the Province of Ontario.

The new museum and waterfront campus are under construction, with an anticipated grand opening in late summer or early fall. For more information or to sign-up for updates, visit CCM's website.

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Canadian Canoe Museum Provides Progress Update On New Museum; Delays Grand Opening

Progress updates outline that industry-wide construction challenges have delayed the Ashburnham Drive Canadian Canoe Museum’s (CCM) opening to late summer or early fall announced Thursday.

photo courtesy of the canadian canoe museum.

The CCM is creating a cultural destination to learn about Canada’s collective history, and reinforce connections to land, water and to one another through the lens of the canoe. The new museum will be located on a five-acre site with views of Little Lake and connection to the Trans Canada Trail and various public parks.

“It is an exciting time for the Canadian Canoe Museum. A little more than a year ago, we had just begun construction. Since then, we’ve achieved many milestones,” said executive director Carolyn Hyslop. “The building structure has come to life before our eyes, the mass timber façade is taking shape and the building is nearly closed in. Exhibits have been developed and are being sent to fabrication, the fundraising campaign is in its final stretch and the collection is nearly ready for its move across town.”

A national fundraising campaign has raised 95 percent of the project’s $40-million cost to date. The project is also made possible in part by the generous support of various local and national donors.

While they report steady progress has been made, the new museum’s opening will occur later than initially anticipated. The museum had originally hoped to welcome visitors in early summer 2023, but due to these delays the anticipated opening is now late summer or early fall.

CCM says the project is experiencing delays due to the pandemic and its ongoing impacts on the construction industry, affecting supply chains and material availability resulting in material shortages.

“As designers, we have seen unprecedented upheaval in the construction sector over the last two years. While there have been similar delays and supply chain issues on the CCM, through our integrated approach to project delivery, these have been minimized compared to other projects. We are pleased with the progress made and look forward to seeing the museum open to the public in 2023,” said managing principal at Lett Architects Inc. Bill Lett.

The CCM remains hopeful that the new museum will be able to celebrate its grand opening during paddling season.

“We are working very closely with the project team to recover the schedule delays, as we would be overjoyed to open earlier. With so much excitement and interest in the new museum, locally and nationally, we want to be transparent with our community about the timeline as we know many are planning trips to visit us this summer,” continued Hyslop.

To learn more about the new museum or to donate, visit the website.

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Canadian Canoe Museum Will Hang Up It's Paddles After Labour Day In Preparation Of The Big Move To A New Location

Labour Day weekend will be the publics last chance to visit the Canadian Canoe Museum at its Monaghan Road location, before they lock the doors on Tuesday in preparation for the Museum's upcoming move to their new waterfront museum.

File Photo.

"It will be bittersweet to see visitors walk through our red doors one final time," said executive director Carolyn Hyslop. "This building holds more than 25 years' worth of memories and has served us well, allowing us to grow and evolve into the dynamic museum we are today. That said, closing our current location marks a significant milestone in our project timeline and brings us one step closer to the water's edge. We are all looking forward to moving into a purpose-built facility on the water, which will allow us to expand our offerings in ways that are not possible here at 910 Monaghan Road."

The CCM will reopen next summer at its new facility, designed by local Lett Architects Inc, on the shores of Little Lake, located at 2077 Ashburnham Drive.

The five-acre site of the new museum will provide stunning west-facing views of Little Lake, a connection to the Trans Canada Trail and is surrounded by public parks. It will become a vibrant community space for outdoor activities and the Museum's canoeing and outdoor programs and events.

The two-storey, 65,000 square foot building will feature an integrated Collection Hall that allows for 100 percent of the collection to be on display, a brand-new suite of exhibits, a lakefront events and education space, an artisan and canoe building studio for hands-on learning, a library and research room, and a café with a fireplace and outdoor terrace.

Supporting this move to the water's edge is a $40 million capital campaign, and financial support from governmental partners, including the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the City of Peterborough, and the County of Peterborough, alongside lead donor, The Weston Family Foundation. To learn more about the new museum or make a donation in support of the campaign, visit canoemuseum.ca/new-museum.

The CCM will be open for one final visit until Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Late Historian Honoured With $250,000 Gift to Canadian Canoe Museum

The Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) is celebrating a $250,000 gift to honour late local historian and avid canoer Shelagh Grant announced on Thursday.

File Photo.

The gift came from Grant’s family to celebrate her 25 years as a volunteer and member since the museum’s inception. The Grant family's gift will be recognized in the Loft of the new museum, a central community gathering space on the second floor just outside the Knowledge and Research Centre in the Atrium.

Grant passed away in 2020 and is known for her love of the North and passion for canoeing according to a press release. She was known as an internationally acclaimed expert, historian and author on the Arctic. She with her husband Jon, paddled many of Canada's northern rivers together.

"The Grant family honours Shelagh Grant's love of the North, its land, peoples, rivers, and rapids with this $250,000 gift. Shelagh's vision and committee work helped to guide The Canadian Canoe Museum in its early stages," said Jon. "This gift recognizes the canoe as a unifying legacy, from the First People's travel to today's recreation, which is an important part of our rich and unique heritage."

In the 1980s, through her work as an adjunct professor of Canadian Studies at Trent University. Shelagh became part of an instrumental Advisory Committee that helped establish the CCM and bring Kirk Wipper's Kanawa canoe collection to Peterborough.

"Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast are engaged and giving to the campaign – but to see such strong local support here in our community is heartening,” said Kevin Malone, campaign chair.

The CCM has raised 93 per cent of the $40 million capital costs for the new museum which is scheduled to open next summer. The community is invited to donate to the new museum or to support the move of more than 600 canoes and kayaks and small artifacts.

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The Canadian Canoe Museum Closed Due to Windstorm Damage

Extensive damage from Saturday’s windstorm has caused the Canadian Canoe Museum to close while it undergoes repairs announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum.

The museum is temporarily closed until June 4, reopening at 10 a.m.

Damage includes torn signage from high winds, blown-out windows in the Collection Centre and downed trees at both locations. The main building's roof suffered significant damage with several attachments being blown off. It resulted in rain and moisture entering the galleries, soaking several different parts of the museum.

No one or collection pieces were injured or damaged during this windstorm.

The Museum is reopening with its summer operating hours in effect (Wednesdays to Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Any pre-purchased tickets for May 22 to June 3 will be refunded.

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Canadian Canoe Museum Board of Director Appointed the Order of Canada

Victoria Grant of the Canadian Canoe Museum’s Chair of the Board of Directors has received the highest honour of Canada as she was appointed the Order of Canada by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon on Thursday.

Grant is a member of the Teme-Augama Anishinabai Kwe, Loon Clan. Photo courtesy of the Canadian Canoe Museum.

Grant received the honour for her work on bridging the gap between Indigenous, non-Indigenous culture, business and communities through her facilitation and mediation.

She became involved with the Canadian Canoe Museum through the National Council in 2017. She joined the board in 2018 and became the Chair of the Board of Directors in 2020.

“I cannot think of anyone who deserves this high recognition as much as Victoria,” said Carolyn Hyslop, the Canadian Canoe Museum’s Executive Director. “Her contribution to this country has been immeasurable. The museum is so proud and fortunate to have her leadership and knowledge. She has been such a valuable asset to us, especially during those turbulent pandemic times, as we continued to forge ahead with our plans to create our new home in the community.”

Grant co-founded the Temagami Community Foundation in 2000. She helped create the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund. Both foundations have raised and disbursed millions of dollars through resiliency grants.

The newly appointed recipient has served on numerous boards including being a member of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Vice-Chair of the Ontario Health Quality Council, Chair of the Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, Director of the Counselling Foundation of Canada and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award.  

Created in 1967, the Order of Canada is one of our country’s highest civilian honours, recognizing outstanding achievement and dedication to the community and service to the nation.

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