With federal cash, Hay River heritage centre targets 2026 reopening

Hay River’s heritage centre is inching closer to reopening after flooding forced its closure almost three years ago.

The town has acquired more than half a million dollars in federal funding – roughly $294,000 from Canadian Heritage and another $300,000 from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency – to help get the facility back in operation.

“We couldn’t have done this without them,” Tom Lakusta, chair of the Hay River Museum Society, told Cabin Radio.

Lakusta said the society is halfway through the process of construction and relocation work. He estimated the total project costs at close to $1 million, with some additional support from the museum’s flood insurance.

Built in 1949 and relocated to its current site in 1951, the building served as the Hay River Heritage Centre from 2000. The museum has been working to secure funds for repairs and relocation since flood damage in 2022 left the building unsafe to use, with most of its exhibits placed in storage.

Lakusta said floodwater that year rose to floor of the heritage centre, causing damage to the stilts holding the wooden structure.

About a third of the building, considered “flimsy,” will be taken apart and rebuilt for stability. The team determined the most cost-effective approach was to construct a new flood-resistant foundation at a different location, raise it to three feet, and then move the building onto it.

Other work will include repairs to the doors, deck, ramp, stairs and interior.

The society aims to have the facility fully operational and open to public again by August 2026.

“The history of Hay River and the region around it is fascinating. This town has a unique history – something that we need to remember,” Lakusta said.

“We need to display it. We need to exhibit it, and we need to share it both internally for our community but also with people that come into Hay River.

“We found that people that come from all over the world are fascinated by the history of our community, and so being able to work on those elements is really exciting for us.”

Judy West-Pratt, who has acted as the museum’s seasonal manager since 2022, said the only reason she returned to work after retiring was to see the project through to completion.

After serving on the board for the past six or seven years, West-Pratt said she wants to see the facility reopen next year, her fifth and final summer managing the museum.

West-Pratt said working on the project has been a “very emotional” experience for her.

“I’ve been with it and I want to see the project completed, then I’m done and back to being full-time retired,” she said.

“It was the first thing I got involved with when I first moved to Hay River. The museum is very important to me. Seeing the flood cause such havoc has been quite sad.

“It’s also quite exciting because it is all getting fixed. As we go along, it is closer and closer to getting to be reopened.”

The season has been busy, with nearly 1,500 visitors so far. According to West-Pratt, that figure should go up to 2,000 by the end of September.

A tipi was set up this year and the museum repositioned “a considerable amount” of exhibits on the property.

“It is a major bonus for the museum,” she said of the new funding. “It will be quite exciting. The new building will move to one side of the property and it will allow for more exhibits to go in.”

The museum will refurbish a fishing vessel next spring. On one side of the boat, a collage of photos from the community will go up. West-Pratt said the museum will ask residents to share copies of their favourite pictures related to the fishing industry in Hay River during the past 75 years.

The photographs will cover an area of approximately 30 feet by five feet.

“That will be one giant mural,” she said. “I think that will be great for the people to come and be like that was my grandpa, or that is my dad, or look at me, I am so little. I remember being on that fishing boat.

“It’ll be quite a wonderful display for the community of Hay River.”

Community projects at the site have included a friendship rock garden and a birdhouse hotel.

West-Pratt said by far the biggest project, going on for three years now, is one where for visitors paint wooden fish that are then attached to the museum fences.

“At this point, we have close to 200 painted fish on our fences,” she said.

“Everybody loves to come and paint a fish.”