Christine Jakubowsky shows one of the many mysteries of the Badlands Historical Centre, a pair of swords that could be dated back to General Lee, or Custer.

The Badlands Historical Centre has a mystery it wants you to help solve.
    In fact, it has many mysteries.
    The Badlands Historical Centre, on 1st Street beside Sunrise Auto, is one of the original and longest standing museums in the valley. It has an eclectic collection of items that celebrates the natural, social and economic aspect of the area.
    Its collection ranges from dinosaur and fossil finds to sports teams. There is even a section dedicated to “Old Timber,” Gordon Taylor and Camp Gordon. Murray Olsen’s collection of statues and thingamajigs also draws interesting conversation.
    “If it is something historic, you’ll find it here,” said volunteer Christine Jakubowsky.
    The problem according to Jakubowsky, is there are many items that they need some background on.
    “We have a lot of issues, there is a lot of stuff I don’t know enough about,” she tells the Mail.
    This could be anything from identifying tools to identifying faces in photos.
    The museum’s hockey display is of great interest to her and she would like to learn more and collect more.
    Another is the mystery of two battle worn swords that are said to have famous pedigree going back to General Lee or General Custer.
    To start the conversation the Museum is hosting a couple open houses this week. Residents can drop in on Friday, August 15 or Saturday August 16 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Jakubowsky says she will have coffee on and is ready to listen.

The Rumsey Curling Club is getting a new, more durable tin roof.
    Kent Holowath of the Rumsey Ag Society said the need for the new roof was identified about two years ago at a regular club meeting.
    The building’s roof is currently leaking, which fortunately hasn’t caused any damage to the interior of the curling club, Holowath said.
    Money for the roof project was raised through community support of various fundraisers and the receipt of matching grants from the province.
    Of the $40,000 project costs, the curling club pays $10,000, and the other $10,000  of their share can be contributed in the form of volunteer labour and volunteer equipment.
    Holowath expects anywhere from five to twenty volunteers each day will be helping out under the direction of the contractor hired to oversee the work and get the tin put on.
    Work crews will also be adding eavestroughing to the building which it never previously had, Holowath said, to prevent sinkage of and water seepage into the building.
    The work to replace the old roofing was rescheduled to August 5/6 from the original July 28 date, due to bad weather and the project materials arriving later than expected.
    The club hopes to have any repairs finished and the roofing completed by the third week in August, in time for the local garden show.
    Holowath dates the curling club construction as 1980, and said this will be the third roof replacement for the building.