“This place has always had a special place in my heart...I got married in this very hangar Aug. 15, 2009,” said Sault MPP Ross Romano, announcing $507,600 in provincial government funding for the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (CBHC) at its hangar Friday.
The funding, from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), will go toward the creation of three new jobs at the centre, as well as new exhibits to increase visitation, membership and revenues.
“There’s a lot going on, these are exciting times for us,” said Brian Bubinas, who came on as the CBHC's new curator five weeks ago, speaking to SooToday.
While specific details regarding the new jobs and as to when the new employees will be starting were unavailable, Bubinas said “we have new staff coming on board, we have a new archivist who’s already started, and there are people we’re hoping to keep around as support staff to the curator.”
As far as new exhibits go, Bubinas said “one large project is a dedicated area for Entomica (near the museum’s entrance, at the west end of the building),” anticipating the insect display to be in the building by July 1.
There will also be a space dedicated for travelling exhibits, such as Science North’s Beyond Human Limits (a look at extreme sports) at the end of August for four weeks.
“We’re going to take some stuff out of our own archives and rotate some stuff we have out onto the floor...we’re also working on some different models and acquisitions for planes,” Bubinas said.
The museum’s event centre area (for weddings, conferences and workshops, along with a new kitchen) is currently under construction at the building’s east end.
That construction is scheduled to be done by the end of March, Bubinas said, adding the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre “is a jewel for Sault Ste. Marie.”
MPP Romano expressed his appreciation of the historic nature of the hangar and the many aircraft on display, the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre marking its 30th anniversary this year.