OLIVER PAIPOONGE, ON — When the Founders Pioneer Village opens next month for the first time since 2019, visitors will be able to enjoy some new attractions.
The site is owned by the Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge and is located on Highway 61 at Gillespie Road, just south of Thunder Bay.
Starting on July 2, visitors will be able to enjoy Russ's Garage for the first time, as well as the reopening of the Duke Hunt Museum formerly located on Rosslyn Road.
Russ's Garage is named in honour of Oliver Paipoonge resident and car collector Russ Wanzuk.
He's donated a collection of vintage automobiles, locally-run race cars, soap box derby cars, pedal cars and a significant collection of other auto memorabilia.
A new 50' by 100' building to house the exhibit was just completed this spring.
Founders Pioneer Village now includes three collections.
Russ's Garage and the Duke Hunt Museum – which is situated in the 118-year-old Slate River Hall –embrace the village consisting of a pioneer home, carpenter's and blacksmith's shops, various stores, a replica train station, a church, a one-room school and a teacherage.
All the village buildings are furnished with items that were in use in the first half of the 20th century.
"We've had a lot of people donate and collect items for us. They are there for everyone to see and learn from. We just want to make sure that everybody understands the hardships that the people before us went through," says assistant curator Jean Mayo.
She added "We're very excited to have people come back and visit, and hopefully encourage new people to come out. We're anxious to see them again."
Some of the buildings in the village are currently undergoing restructuring and renovations.
