Glenbow Museum, Fort Calgary to get some cash from the city
Posted Jul 21, 2021 8:16 am.
Last Updated Jul 21, 2021 8:28 am.
CALGARY – A pair of local tourist attractions are getting some cash from city council.
The city’s finance committee is backing a plan to divert $15.5 million toward renovations on the Glenbow Museum and Fort Calgary.
On Tuesday, the committee approved redirecting the funds, which were originally earmarked for other projects under the municipal stability initiative.
City council will still need to vote on the reallocation to finalize the cash injection.
Details on the reallocation of money on pages 115-118 of the committee’s agenda
The city says the money for the Glenbow will help fund a $120 million revitalization project at the museum.
The project will see the exterior of the building updated by removing the existing cladding and replacing it with more innovative cladding that will “allow cultural energy to emerge onto the streets of downtown Calgary.”
Every floor of the museum will also be renovated to improve functionality and be more welcoming to new exhibits.
Committee documents say Fort Calgary will use the money to shift some of its exhibits and programs to adopt some of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s guiding principles.
The museum’s board approved an improvement plan in 2020 that includes the exploration of the site’s colonial past and its impact on the Indigenous people’s connection to the land.
The main museum will be demolished and a new one built in its place and the existing barracks will be renovated to be able to hold more classes.
The new museum will feature Indigenous-led exhibits and there will be a second space for special exhibitions.
