The Homestead Museum got a helping hand from the World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy fund. The Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce gave $2,000 to the Homestead Museum on October 2.
    The money will be going towards some much needed upgrades to the museum’s aging electrical and lighting systems. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $17,000. It is hoped the work will be completed by the time the museum reopens on May 1.
    “We’re trying to rally as much money as we can to get it done to do some needed electrical upgrades at the museum. At the time it was built, the codes were different than they are today. Now, things aren’t up to code and we have to upgrade it,” said Homestead Museum manager Gilles Danis.
    The Homestead Museum was built in 1965. There have been no upgrades to the building’s electrical systems since it was built.
    “In the old days you could put it together and no one would say anything. For instance, we have electrical cords, like extension cords, used instead of actual wiring. When they made the building, they didn’t know where the displays would go, so they were stuck with doing that,” said Danis.
    Danis also hopes the lights in the building can be replaced as well. The old lights, based on old mercury vapour, were damaged this summer after a couple severe thunderstorms.
    “Early this summer we had a lightning strike near here and it blew the lamps. I can tell you when lightning strikes next to you it’s pretty loud,” said Danis.
    One of the problems with the old lights was the amount of harmful ultraviolet light they gave off. Dani is looking to install LED lights in the museum to help preserve the artifacts.
    “We want to replace the lighting with LED lights, which is much more appropriate for a museum environment,” said Danis. “There is a problem with them in that they are rich in ultraviolet light, which is harmful to the artifacts. Ultraviolet light is quite strong and it can break down the surface of the artifacts over time,” said Danis.
    While the Legacy Fund has given a sizable boost to the not- for-profit Homestead Museum, more money is needed to help get the upgrades done. Danis is looking for more grants, otherwise the Homestead Museum will be forced to take a loan to pay for the upgrades. 
    The World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund invests a portion of funds generated by the World’s Largest Dinosaur attraction and Giftshop to enhance and enrich community economic development initiatives in the Drumheller region. To date the Legacy Fund has contributed over $530,000 to an array of worthy community group projects. The next application deadline for projects less than $3,000 will be March 1, 2013.

Gilles Danis (left), manager of the Homestead Museum, accepts a cheque for $2,000 from Heather Bitz, manager of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce, and Ed Mah, president of the Chamber, as part of the World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund. The money will go towards upgrading the museum’s electrical wiring and lighting. The current wiring does not meet current building codes and the current lighting emits high amounts of ultraviolet light, which can damage the artifacts in the museum.
photo submitted

    After eight months of waiting, concerned residents in Nacmine are feeling more optimistic.
    The Energy Resource Conservation Board (ERCB) has just returned letters sent by Nacmine residents who opposed a project by Bearspaw Petroleum to conduct natural gas drilling at McMullen Island.
    To date, the ERCB has not received any applications from Bearspaw to drill in the area.
    “We got a letter from the provincial board [ERCB] saying to date there had been no application by Bearspaw to do anything there,” said Jim Decore, a Nacmine resident opposed the project. “We got ahead of the game. Before they made any applications, we already had put our objections in. The objections have been given back to us, because the file stayed dormant for one year.”
    However, there is concern Bearspaw will still attempt to drill at McMullen Island. Residents haven’t heard anything from Bearspaw since January of this year, when a meeting was scheduled between Bearspaw, the ERCB, and Nacmine residents. The meeting was postponed so Bearspaw could meet with the Drumheller Town Council. No contact from Bearspaw has been made since.
    Late in 2011, residents in Nacmine received information packages from Bearspaw, advising them of plans to drill three wells from the existing site, which was built in the 1970’s, at McMullen Island. The site is only a few metres away from the McMullen Island parking lot and 80 metres from the Red Deer River.
    One shaft would head into Midland Provincial Park, the other two would cross underneath the Red Deer River and terminate on the west and east ends of Nacmine.
    Residents were vocal in their concerns, which included the potential to contaminate the Red Deer River and therefore Drumheller drinking water, the walking trail nearby is heavily used by locals and visitors alike, disrupting wildlife in Midland Provincial Park, noise, and well bore running into old mine shafts.
    One of the suggestions was for Bearspaw to build their drill sites outside of the valley.
    “Any drilling in the valley I’m against, I know it [the current station] was there prior to the rules. I just don’t think it is a positive thing for Drumheller.” said Nacmine resident Brent Pedersen. “There are concerns about the river crossing. I know they are very diligent, but accidents happen, like the incident near the [Dickson] Dam. They have the technology to go on top of the hills and drill down.”
    The Drumheller Town Council also raised concerns about the planned drilling. In January, Drumheller Mayor Terry Yemen stated the Town had no jurisdiction to outright stop drilling, as per the Municipal Governance Act. However, the Town would strongly discourage drilling wells in the valley.
    Residents are concerned Bearspaw may yet apply to go through with the project, but are just as committed to stop drilling from occurring at the McMullen Island site.
    “The ball is back in Bearspaw’s court,” said Decore. “It’s good for people to still be aware. If Bearspaw submits, then we’ll have to send our objections back to the ERCB.”