Rendering of Pavilion project -image courtesy Railway Forestry Museum

Prince George, B.C. – “Disappointed” that’s the one  word reaction  from Fraser Fort George  Railway and Forestry Museum  CEO Ranjit Gill  to  the decision by the  Regional District of Fraser Fort George to  simply receive  a report on the museum’s request for $100 thousand dollars for its Pavilion  project.

In a special meeting held yesterday,  the  Regional District mulled over the request,  but the only action taken was to receive the  report  which  detailed  the request  and the  RDFFG’s Cultural  Plan.  There was no  recommendation made to  support   or  reject the  request for funds. ( see previous story)

The  Pavilion Project  is aimed at  making the exhibits  accessible to all,  and to provide  those exhibits  with protection from the elements.  The overall budget for the project is $1.2 million dollars, and  Gill says most of those dollars  represent “in kind” donations.   She says the actual outstanding cash amount to  bring this project to  fruition is  between $300 and $400 thousand.

“It’s a community project, it should have community support” says Gill who notes a similar project in Pemberton  in 2014 received financial support from its local  government.

When the project was first announced, Gill said  it would  not go forward until  it had the money  to  do it, so   why   is it in this position now?  “Because the Museum had already expended $250 thousand dollars.  The Museum is putting in  an additional $250 thousand dollars  we have funding  secured for another $50 thousand dollars  and we’ve had lots of in kind,  I am sure things like heavy equipment,   I am sure  we can get it donated.  So a lot of the   funds needed  are ‘in kind’ but we do still need  $300 to $400  thousand dollars.”

Gill says the project will impact the entire region “We are bringing in  over a hundred people from all over the world  to build it and they  will have an opportunity to visit Prince George,  to   visit all the locations  these Directors (RDFFG)  represent,  enjoy our hospitality  and  the volunteer spirit Prince George and area has.”

Members of the Timber Framers Guild will  be coming to P.G. to  build the pavilion which will provide  an educational opportunity .   UNBC’s Wood Innovation and Design Centre  will   be working in collaboration with the  Timber Framers  using the  project as a training platform. Training content will be  available for the entire  volunteer crew and the public  in many areas of timber frame construction  from  basic timber framing skills to  fabrication techniques for large projects   right through to  project management skills.

The  project had applied for grant funding  from  Northern Development Initiative Trust under its economic diversification  fund,  but  the project did not  meet the strict criteria for that fund.   Instead,  NDIT provided a grant  of $30 thousand  under its Community Recreation Facility Fund.

Gill  is still waiting for final word on  a couple of  grant applications “I am still waiting for the Canada 150,  the Provincial Government just announced $5 million dollars towards  capital projects for non for profits  but the applications haven’ t come  out yet.  I am just plugging away.”

Mayor Lyn Hall   says he  knows the project  is a “good project  for the us,  the City of Prince George, and the Region.”   He has suggested  the Regional District  Directors  work with the Museum to try and open  as many doors as possible to  help secure the remaining needed dollars.  That may be a tough sell though  as both the City  of Prince George and the Regional District  have not  committed to  contributing  themselves “There’s no question,  it might be a difficult sell, but I still  think we need to take a look at other avenues.  Both organizations, the  Regional District and the City,  saw this as an impact on taxes for residents  so we  just need to look for other sources.”

Gill is no quitter and is  determined to keep this  project on track  “I am still looking for funding for our project, it is going to go ahead.”