OLIVER PAIPOONGE — The board that oversees the Founders Museum Pioneer Village on Highway 61 decided it's time to change the name to something more in keeping with current views of Canada's history.
It unanimously passed a motion asking Oliver Paipoonge council to rename it Oliver Paipoonge Heritage Park, and council unanimously approved the request at its meeting Tuesday.
A report to council stated that the words "founders" and "pioneer" can now be seen as out of touch, since they pertain to European settlement and disregard Indigenous history.
"Reports authored by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ... have played a major role in changing thinking about our views of the past," it said, adding that the board felt the word "heritage" respects all peoples and cultures.
Oliver Paipoonge Mayor Lucy Kloosterhuis said she felt it was important to continue to recognize Duke Hunt, who in the 1950s founded a museum that was relocated to the Highway 61 site last year.
"It meant a lot to the residents that that name stay with the museum," she said, so she was pleased to hear that issue will be addressed.
"There's going to be Duke Hunt Museum named for the Slate River Hall which is where he lived, and they still have, of course, Russ's Garage [named for Russ Wanzuk] with the antique cars. So there will be some names put on some of the other buildings that will be more local."
According to Kloosterhuis, adding "park" to the attraction reflects the fact the board plans to make some changes on the property which will add green space.
The Oliver Paipoonge Heritage Park is scheduled to open for the season next month on the Victoria Day weekend.
