The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the creation and renovation of cultural spaces to promote better access to arts and heritage.
Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport), and Member of Parliament (Milton), announced a $139,500 federal investment in the Halton County Radial Railway Museum, operated by the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association. He made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage.
The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund support will renew the museum's power feed to its main shop and create a new power distribution system to other buildings. It will also allow the museum to remove a line of hydro poles next to an overhead streetcar line, allowing volunteers to safely maintain the line as it approaches the end of its life.
These upgrades set the stage for future developments at the museum, such as new buildings for its expanding collection and onsite generation of renewable energy.
Quotes
"Arts and culture are part of who we are as Canadians. They create jobs and economic growth while also contributing to our rich and vibrant heritage. Our government understands that cultural institutions, like the Halton County Radial Railway Museum, contribute to the cultural vitality of our communities, and we are proud to support them in their mission to preserve and celebrate our history."
-The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage
"I am proud that our government's investment in important cultural infrastructure will benefit the Halton County Radial Railway Museum, and its many dedicated volunteers. Their extraordinary work is what makes this museum a must-see attraction in our beautiful region."
- Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport), and Member of Parliament (Milton)
"We are extremely grateful for Canadian Heritage's support for our electrical upgrades program. This project allows us to bring our service up to code, provide for expansion, eliminate an environmental hazard and remove a pole line that has made it impossible to maintain and renew the streetcar overhead in the west end loop. Our organization is Canada's first operating electric railway museum. This will improve the infrastructure we need to maintain and operate our historic vehicles."
-Robert Lubinski, President, Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association
Quick facts
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The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation, including creative hubs. The fund supports renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment as well as feasibility studies for cultural spaces. Since its creation in 2001, the fund has supported more than 1,000 projects, including spaces for performing arts, visual arts, media arts, museum collections, heritage displays and creative hubs.
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Established in 1972, the Halton County Radial Railway Museum is owned and operated by the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association. The museum collects, restores, maintains, displays and operates historic electric street cars and other railcars along a full-size electric railway on two kilometres of track between the villages of Rockwood and Campbellville in Milton. The museum also maintains a collection of photographs, memorabilia and archival materials.
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In 2020, the museum received about $53,000 in COVID-19 relief under the Emergency Support Fund. Since 2014, the museum has received more than $285,000 in funding from Canadian Heritage including support for various repairs and renovations, including improvements to visitor accessibility.
