Transcona Historical Museum

Administrative History: The Transcona Museum was established in 1967 as the City of Transcona's Centennial Project for the 100th anniversary of Confederation of Canada. The museum is currently in its 37th year of operation. The Transcona Historical Museum was established to collect, preserve, research, exhibit, and interpret a collection of historic artefacts pertaining to the community of Transcona and surrounding area. An archival collection was established separately in 1981 to preserve and record - by taped, photographed, printed, or written documentation - the history the Transcona community and surrounding area. Although the museum was created by the City of Transcona council, The Library Board served as the Transcona Museum's first Board of Directors. In 1968, a citizens group headed by Paul Martin formed a separate Museum Board to oversee museum operations. In 1971, the museum came under the section of the Transcona Community Department of Recreation and under the jurisdiction of the Transcona Community Centre Board. In January 1972, the City of Transcona amalgamated with the City of Winnipeg. Following civic reorganization, the Transcona Museum fell under the jurisdiction of the City of Winnipeg Parks and Recreation Department in 1973. The Transcona Community Committee passed a motion that abolished the rights Transcona Community Centre/Parks Board, which in turn abolished the rights of the Transcona Museum Board. This led to the resignation of the Transcona Museum Board on 20 March 1974. Following a directive from the Community Recreation Programme Co-ordinator to City Councillors for the Transcona Community, a New Museum Advisory Board / Committee was formed and in place by December 1974. Between April 1974 through December 1977, the Museum continued operation under the jurisdiction of the City of Winnipeg as a programmed Parks and Recreation facility. In January 1978, after another restructuring of the City of Winnipeg Parks and Recreation Department, the Transcona Museum fell under the operation of the Supervisior of Culture, Leisure, and Community Schools, District 4. During the summer of 1980, City of Winnipeg Council approved a recommendation from the Parks and Recreation Department that the museum be administered by a Citizens group. Reporting directly to the East Kildonan/Transcona Community Committee, the Board was required to assist in administering the operation of the museum, including the preparation of the annual estimates for the City of Winnipeg. In December 1980, a public meeting was called to form a Museum Board to work in cooperation with the City of Winnipeg. As an Interim Board, the Directors assisted in awarding the renovation contact for the facility at 141 Regent Avenue West, achieving the correct wording of a constitution, and assisting with the "Official Re-opening" of the museum in June 1983. By the Annual General Meeting in March 1984, the board had no quorum and the majority resigned. Upon request, the Curator prepared a report for the Transcona Community Councillor who then approached local citizens to form another Board. By January 1985, the Board of Directors was in place. Following an employment dispute between the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the City of Winnipeg, the Museum Curator was acknowledged as a City employee in February 1986. In September 1986, Museum Board of Directors were called to special meeting by the City of Winnipeg Parks and Recreation Department to re-establish structure and to reincorporate the Museum into their operation. As part of the City of Winnipeg, the Transcona Historical Museum continued operations under the authority of the THM Board of Directors since that time. The Transcona Historical Museum received the services of the Parks and Recreation Department until 1995 when departmental reorganization resulted in changes to the support provided by the City of Winnipeg. In 2003, The Transcona Historical Museum received civic support through the City Clerks Department. The Transcona Historical Museum continues to governed under the authority of the THM Board of Directors. Under the general direction of the THM Board of Directors, the Museum Curator is responsible for the day to day operations of the Transcona Historical Museum. The Museum Curator reports directly to the THM Board of Directors. The Museum Curator is an employee of the City of Winnipeg and a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). All other staff work under the direction and supervision of the Museum Curator. All other staff are employees of the THM Board of Directors. The Transcona Museum was originally located in the basement of the Transcona Public Library at 111 Victoria Avenue West. The Transcona Museum was required to move to a new location when the library expanded. The museum closed in 1970 and re-opened at its new location in the Roland Michener Arena at 1131 Wabasha Street, Transcona, Manitoba in November 1971. Nearly a decade later, expanded use of the facilities by the Parks and Recreation Department led the closure of the museum and its move from the second location in 1981. Finally in 1983, the Museum reopened in its third and current location at 141 Regent Avenue West. Today, the Transcona Historical Museum is located in a City of Winnipeg owned and operated Class III Historic building that was originally built by the Bank of Toronto (1925) and that later served as the Transcona Municipal Office. The archives were established in 1981 at the Transcona Historical Museum and in 1997 became a separate and distinct department within the Museum. In 1998, the Transcona Historical Museum implemented the use of the RAD system for all archival holdings. In 1969, the museum was incorporated under the name of the "Transcona Museum." In January 1978, the Museum name was informally revised by the Curator in an attempt to emphasize its importance to the entire district and became known as the "Transcona Regional Historical Museum" until 1979. On occasion, the name was abbreviated to "TRHM" during this time. In 1980 the Museum name changed to its third and current name of "Transcona Historical Museum. The name is commonly abbreviated to "THM". Since the inception of the Museum there have been 6 different Board Presidents: Paul Martin (1968-1972, 1980-1984), Christoper Quelch (1973-1974) Helene Marsh (1985-1995), Pat Dance (1996-2001), Vern Peterson (2002-2003) and Jim Sesak (current 2004). Four Curators: Mona Duddridge (1972-1973), Terry Patterson (1973-1988), Jack Fondren (1989-1995) and Sheryl Kolt (1995-present). Two Acting Curators: Andrea Earl (October 1998-April 1999) and Lori Nichols (February 2002-April 2003). On April 10, 1967, Alderman Paul Martin made a motion to create a museum at a City of Transcona council meeting. One week later, on April 17, 1967, the motion to create a Museum 'in Principle' was approved. A meeting between Harry Fuller Mayor of the City of Transcona and the Transcona Public Library led to space allocation for the museum in the library basement. On October 16, 1968 the Transcona Museum was officially opened. The museum is currently in its 37th year of operation.