GLENDON - After losing their previous building, the Glendon and District Historical Society (GDHS) has been fundraising for the construction of a new building that will be known as the Glendon and District Historical Centre.
On April 4, the group announced it had received a $125,000 Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) grant from the Government of Alberta. Along with about $32,000 in donations, the Glendon Historical Society says it is ready to build.
Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr and Glendon Mayor Nicholas Werstiuk met with the Glendon Historical Society to celebrate the milestone.
“It’s nice to see support from the province of Alberta. Minister [Tanya] Fir had actually come up to Glendon, and it made a good impression on her,” said Cyr.
GDHS President Belvia Wrobel expressed her gratitude for the support of both Cyr and Werstiuk, and made a point to acknowledge the early founders of the GDHS who worked hard to keep Glendon’s history alive.
Werstiuk reported that the floor plans are finished, and construction should begin in July. The modest building will be located on main street next to the Glendon Village Office.
Wrobel said they have a vision for the historical centre. While it will be a place to keep historical memorabilia and records, it will also act as a place where the community can gather over a cup of coffee and listen to and document the stories told by local elders.
“It's only a 30 x 50 building, so we will be careful about how much we store in it, but it’s going to be a place of education, sharing, and celebration,” said Wrobel.
As a retired teacher, Wrobel envisions young people coming to the centre to learn about the history of their town. She hopes they will be inspired to go home and ask their family questions about their own history.
“I was asked to come to one of the [GDHS] meetings when they restarted this whole group . . . They had some big goals, including building this new historical centre, but my biggest concern was that this [older] generation, unfortunately, is coming to an end, and I felt that if something didn’t happen sooner rather than later, that this information and these stories would be lost,” said Werstiuk.
Although the building will not be classified as a museum, it will still be a point of interest for tourism and offer locals and visitors the opportunity to learn about the history of the area.
“This is where we’re going to tell our story,” said Wrobel.
She said they are planning an open house in late 2025, once the building is complete.
Cyndie Kissel, vice president of the GDHS, was grateful for the generous support of the community.
“[We’ve had some] generous donations from some very special people and families . . . Every donation is so appreciated. So many incredible people are helping us out and we thank each of them from the bottom of our hearts,” said Kissel.
Anyone interested in joining the GDHS can attend the annual general meeting on April 23, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Glendon Curling Rink.
“We still have a fair bit to raise, so we look forward to seeing what we can do to develop the outdoor environment. Our goal is that it will become a hustling bustling hub of the community – the village square. A place where we can gather and enjoy events or even just a peaceful conversation with a friend,” said Kissel.
She said they have several fundraising events on the horizon, including a bottle drive at the Glendon RCMP hall on April 26 and a garage sale on May 24, also at the Glendon RCMP hall from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
