Ross Farm Museum Breaks Ground on New Learning Centre

After years of hard work, planning and fundraising, the New Ross community gathered today, July 22, to break ground for Ross Farm Museum's new learning centre.

The facility will allow the New Ross District Museum Society to expand its programming, host more workshops, and attract more visitors to the region. It will also help grow awareness of historical agricultural practices and provide much needed space to host agricultural-related initiatives, leading to new opportunities at the museum.

"Ross Farm is Nova Scotia's window into the past of the province's rich agricultural history and an asset for the future of agricultural development," said Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Tony Ince. "The learning centre at Ross Farm Museum will give visitors from all over the world more opportunities to learn about and become immersed in the province's diverse culture."

"The government of Canada is pleased to help commemorate the groundbreaking of the new Learning Centre at the Ross Farm Museum," said MP Gerald Keddy, on behalf of Rob Moore, Minister of State (ACOA). "After tireless fundraising efforts, this is a pivotal moment for the community and for the museum. This investment in the learning centre will support Ross Farm's efforts to expand its programming and attract visitors to the region."

The government of Nova Scotia is contributing $1,250,000 to the project. The government of Canada announced today an additional $250,000 from ACOA's Innovative Communities Fund, increasing its investment in the project to $1,250,000. The Municipality of the District of Chester, local corporations and individuals are also contributing through the fundraising efforts of the New Ross District Museum Society, who are close to reaching their goal of $1,700,000.

"The new learning centre will make Ross Farm stronger and more able to make exciting educational, cultural and economic contributions to its community and the province as a whole," said Jim Eisenhauer, chair of the New Ross District Museum Society capital campaign team. "This learning centre project would not have happened without the enthusiastic and generous backing of hundreds of Nova Scotians who recognized its critical importance."

One of the building's unique features is that it will be built into the side of a hill, making the roof partly green. In addition to being environmentally friendly, the 16,000 square foot facility will also be extremely energy efficient. Its geothermal energy system will make the learning centre sustainable for years to come.

The building will consist of public spaces including an entrance and foyer, programming rooms, washrooms, meeting rooms, an open hearth room, a commercial kitchen, a gift shop, staff/administration space, a period costume area, a historical society office and research space, and controlled storage for artifacts.

For more information about Ross Farm Museum, a part of the family of provincial museums, go to http://rossfarm.novascotia.ca/ .