Discussions

They said it could not be done, but after two years of meetings the General Museum Advisory Committee has founded and incorporated a General Museum. The advisory committee was made up of 11 volunteer members from the city at large and three Councillors.  
 
They have put together an organization that will allow Brandon to have a General Museum, and Archive.  
The mission statement for the GMAC is as follows:  
 
The Brandon Museum, and Archives mission is to collect, conserve, study, exhibit and interpret historic and heritage materials relating to the City of Brandon and its place within the history of Southwestern Manitoba.  
 
After incorporation a Museum Board has been selected, and will be ratified at a future city council meeting. The members of this first board, who will sit for various terms, are:  
 
City Council Members: Councillor Errol Black (Chair), Councillor Jeff Harwood, and Councillor Doug Paterson.  
 
Citizens at large: Ken Jackson, Barbara Andrew, and Almira Shewchuk, (until Dec. 31st 2009). Roger Glufka, Doug Grossart, Bill McGuire, Robert Booth, Murray Graham, and Roberta Baskier, (until Dec. 31st 2010). Dr. Bev. Nicholson is Chair of the Programming committee, (responsible for defining the activities that should be included in the exhibits, and programs of the museum).  
 
The General Museum is now able to raise funds and employ staff. A search for a site for the new Museum has been on going for two years, many locations on the original possibilities list have been taken.  
 
The committee because of limited space, and parking facilities has declined the Fire Hall, and the CPR Station was declined by city council because they preferred private interests to occupy it.  
 
Individual members of the Board have had informal talks with the new owners of the CPR Station, McKenzie Seeds, and with directors of the Brandon University, and the Assiniboine Community College.  
 
This is a brief update on the activities of the committee, and further information will be published in the future.