Canoe museum opening postponed by construction delays
The new home of the Canadian Canoe Museum won’t open on time.
The museum issued a statement on September 20 announcing that it had postponed the opening of its highly anticipated new building, located in Peterborough, from this fall to next winter.
The delay is being blamed on construction activities. The museum says material and labour availability, supply chain disruptions, and scheduling and sequencing complexities have caused “unavoidable delays in completing the impressive two-story, 65,000-square-foot museum and its five-acre lakefront campus.”
Once completed, the $40-million museum building will house what it claims is the largest collection of canoes and kayaks with more than 600 watercraft, 500 paddles and hundreds of other artifacts.
The museum also says it and its construction team will ensure the new museum meets the highest quality standards, and delivers an exceptional visitor experience.
“I am thrilled to announce that we will welcome our supporters to the new museum and campus the weekend of May 11 for our grand opening celebrations,” said Executive Director Carolyn Hyslop. “While the pandemic and its impacts on the construction industry have affected our timeline, it has not affected the spirit and enthusiasm for this project. It will be worth the wait when visitors can explore this beautiful facility and our many new offerings and then continue to the lakefront for a memorable paddling experience!”
Construction on the project started in October 2021. The former building, on Monaghan Road, was closed in September 2022.
Despite the construction delays, museum recently reached a significant project milestone by moving more than 100 canoes and kayaks into the new Exhibition Hall.
“Moving this first portion of the collection into its new home was an incredible moment in this organization’s history,” said Curator Jeremy Ward. “This collection is unlike any other worldwide and has been recognized for its national significance to this country. Now, it finally has a home befitting it.”
The museum and its partners will relocate the remaining 500 watercraft to the new museum over the next two to three months.