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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>After years of planning, a vertical platform lift at Revelstoke Museum and Archives is getting closer to becoming a reality.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><br>The 1926 heritage Post Office building, owned by the City of Revelstoke, has been a lovely home for the museum collections and exhibits since 1974, but it was not built with accessibility in mind. The building has stairs to enter the main floor, and even more stairs to the second floor, which features several exhibits, and the program room. There is currently an aging lift at the back of the Heritage Garden for people to enter the building, but no access to the second floor. This is an insurmountable barrier for many people, and has stopped people from accessing the museum exhibits and programs, such as Brown Bag History. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>With funding from the City of Revelstoke, and from Cultural Spaces Canada, the city has a full feasibility study completed for the project, and efforts now are focused on raising the funds to begin construction in 2024. The vertical platform lift will allow visitors to enter the museum at the back parking lot area of the museum and come to the first floor where the current parlor display is located. At the second floor, the lift will enter where the men’s washroom is now. The lift will accommodate people in wheelchairs, including motorized wheelchairs, as well as a companion. It will also accommodate parents with infant strollers. The remaining upstairs washroom will be made fully accessible. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The fundraising has received a major kick start with a generous grant from Area B of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, through funding from the Canada Community-Building Fund. Electoral Area B Director David Brooks-Hill advocated for the accessibility lift project to receive $400,000 in funding. With an approximate total project cost of $600,000, this funding from the CSRD moves the project much closer to being successful. Revelstoke Museum and Archives is tremendously grateful for this major contribution to the project. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><br>A further grant of $15,000 from the Resort Municipality Initiative of the Government of British Columbia is also greatly appreciated. The confirmed funding will allow Revelstoke Museum and Archives to leverage other funding from agencies such as Cultural Spaces Canada and Columbia Basin Trust.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A fundraising campaign for the community is also beginning. According to museum curator Cathy English, “The mandate of Revelstoke Museum and Archives states that the museum is a place where ALL are welcome to participate, to learn, to share, and to explore the history of the region. As long as there are physical barriers in the building, we can’t fully fulfill that mandate. This project will remove one of our biggest barriers to accessibility.” The vertical platform lift will be an important contribution to accessibility in Revelstoke, and community donations will be very welcome.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fundraising is primarily being done through our CanadaHelps page, a program that also automatically issues a tax receipt at the time of donation: <a href="https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/revelstoke-and-district-historical-association/campaign/accessibility-lift-project/?fbclid=IwAR3UyggzIozFnhq5uxyjdNDY2fQ2gLgDuevqyAtOTYydUOoeYvRb2HTjAEg">https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/revelstoke-and-district-historical-association/campaign/accessibility-lift-project/?fbclid=IwAR3UyggzIozFnhq5uxyjdNDY2fQ2gLgDuevqyAtOTYydUOoeYvRb2HTjAEg</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As always, we are grateful for all of the support shown to Revelstoke Museum & Archives over the years and are excited for the opportunity to better serve our community through the completion of this project.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All the best,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#943634;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>The Staff & Board of Revelstoke Museum & Archives</span><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>PO Box 1908, 315 First Street West<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>Revelstoke, BC, V0E 2S0<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>(250)837-3067</span><span style='color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><a href="mailto:office@revelstokemuseum.ca"><span style='color:#1F497D'>office@revelstokemuseum.ca</span></a><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><a href="http://www.revelstokemuseum.ca/"><span style='color:#1F497D'>www.revelstokemuseum.ca</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>