17 November 2010
Last Spike 125th Important Milestone
for Railway Museum
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Canadian Pacific CEO Fred Green hammers a ceremonial Last Spike while Teck Resources CEO
Don Lindsay (left), Okanagan-Shuswap MP Colin Mayes (right), and Arrow Heights elementary students look on. |
Revelstoke British Columbia - With the Last Spike's 125th Anniversary celebration behind us, I
would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the hardworking and dedicated staff and volunteers of the Revelstoke Railway Museum for their preparation
for, and participation in, this special event. The time and effort that went into cooperating with other partners in presenting the event is recognized and
greatly appreciated. But then, that kind of effort is what I see at the museum every day!
The museum is the only organization in this community that is solely dedicated to telling the history of the railway in the western region of the country, and,
as such, we deliver the story of the Last Spike to visitors and locals alike on a daily basis. As stewards of this nationally significant story, we are pleased
and honoured to include the interpretation of the site of the driving of the Last Spike among our regular duties.
Staff at Craigellachie bring almost 50 years combined experience to the site and they work hard to ensure the site is welcoming, safe, and accessible.
Similarly, the maintenance staff, hired through Ministry of Transportation channels, also work hard to look after a remote, outdoor site that is subject to a
great deal of wear and tear. After all the special trains, tents, horses, and demonstration tracks are removed, we, at the museum, will pick up the story once
more and continue to be on the front line of visitors' services at the site, and beyond.
So, for the Railway Museum, this special anniversary has definitely been a highlight for all of us, but also has reinforced the importance of the history
represented in our exhibit interpretation, programmes, and general operations. We look at this anniversary as the beginning of a new chapter in the
representation of the story and we are committed to continuing to develop the tools we need to effectively showcase, on a daily basis, this nationally
significant moment in our history. The Last Spike Anniversary Legacy trunk is one way we have of continuing to celebrate at the museum and I encourage anyone
who has not contributed something, to do so, there is still time!
Thank you also to everyone from the Revelstoke community who attended the event. It was wonderful to see so many there! It was an opportunity for Revelstoke's
association with Craigellachie to shine and your presence made a difference.
Jennifer Dunkerson - Executive Director Revelstoke Railway Museum.
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