Williams Lake’s RC Cotton site tops the list for the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin board for a future museum location.
President Laura Zimmerman told city council during its regular meeting Tuesday night the board has chosen four possible sites and will investigate the RC Cotton one first.
“We chose this site because it ties in with what the city is doing. It ties into what the First Nations are doing. It gives us a hand up in many ways. Our goal is that we will actually have a community pit house on that site, working with our First Nations.”
Zimmerman said she has spoken with Williams Lake First Nation Chief Willie Sellars about the proposal.
“They are asking their elders to come forward to work with us once we get to that point because this will be not our museum, this will be our regional museum and it will include every community that has contributed in whatever shape or form to the development of Williams Lake,” she told council.
Two years ago the museum board contacted SunCorp, the owners of the property to have discussions about the site.
“I finally have them in a position where they will actually sit down and negotiate with us on leasing or on purchase. If we purchase it they will release to us all the environmental information,” Zimmerman said.
The hope is to proceed in three phases.
The first phase will require a full digital overview of the museum plan and an environmental assessment plan.
“It’s a big piece of property. It’s grey land. It’s going to take a lot of work,” Zimmerman said, noting there are grants available for environmental cleanup.
Council agreed to write a letter of support for the museum’s application to the Canadian Cultural Spaces fund to support an exploratory review of the site.
Within the last two years the city has developed a short trail on the site as well as install a pedestrian bridge that connects it to Scout Island. The city hopes to expand the trail system in the future.
READ MORE: Williams Lake pedestrian bridge officially given Secwepemc name Nekw7usem
monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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