Thomas The Train a Big Draw For Local Youngsters
Sunday, July 21, 2013 @ 2:03 PM
(Youngsters take mom and dad for a ride on the Cottonwood Railway. Photos – 250 News)
Prince George, B.C. – The weather co-operated, the kids and their parents came out in droves and Thomas the Train took centre stage for the three-day “Friends of Thomas Days” at the Railway and Forestry Museum this weekend.
The annual event built around “Thomas the Tank Engine” from the popular Railway Series of children’s books provides loads of fun for youngsters including mini rail rides, a Thomas Film Fest, outdoor activities including the popular sponge toss (photo below), a pancake breakfast, Barbecue and crafts. It also serves as a major fundraiser for the museum.
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Curator Katherine Carlson says while final figures haven’t been tabulated yet the three-day event saw close to one thousand visitors walk through the gates for what turned out to be three great days in the sun. Karlson says “it was a fantastic event for us this year. The weather held out very nicely for us and we had lots of water activities in amongst all the other activities, which really helps to keep people cool.”
Carlson says Friends of Thomas Days is “the biggest event that we do during the summertime in terms of fundraising. This year with the caterpillar infestation covering our building, it really slowed down the number of visits. So we were down, but this event really helps to boost visitations. Saturday on its own saw about 400 people come through the museum so it was a very busy day.”
Carlson credits the work of staff and volunteers for helping to make things run smoothly. “We have ten to twelve volunteers and three full-time and 6 summer staff and thanks to them everything ran fairly smoothly. In any event there’s going to be little hiccups along the way but this one ran really nicely.”
The Railway and Forestry Museum is open 7 days a week from May till the Labour Day weekend in September and five days a week, Tuesday to Saturday, from September through to the May long weekend. Upcoming events include an August 5th concert to celebrate the museum’s 30th anniversary, Family Fun Day on August 24th, Halloween Fairytale at the end of October and the Celebration of Lights in December.
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“The weather co-operated, the kids and their parents came out in droves and Thomas the Train took centre stage for the three-day âFriends of Thomas Daysâ at the Railway and Forestry Museum this weekend”
Brought to you by KPMG, LOL ;)
With so much success, the museum’s assets are on a steep climb and almost ready to privatize, right NMG? ;-)
Privatize? How dare you suggest such a thing.
Is not that museum already private?
Technically, you are right seamutt. However, over half of its operation dollars comes from taxpayers.
It is a non-for profit society
Latest info available from Revenue Canada site is from 2011. Not sure why they do not have 2012 info yet.
They received $169,701 from municipal/regional government plus $26,406 from feds.
Total revenue is $359,431. So more than 50% taxpayer funded.
In addition, $23,673 was tax receipted, which adds additional indirect taxpayer dollars to the income.
Total income from sales and service was $12,254
Cost for staffing was $194,168
Total expenses were $351,050
If a PAC was run that way, it would have to fold.
Imagine running a service industry which had a cost of $194,168 for staffing and a sales and service income of $12,254.
Does that raise a red flag?
gus: “If a PAC was run that way, it would have to fold.”
Or any business for that matter.
Built it and they will come. Of course, “they” have to know the place exists . . .
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