‘A hard decision to make’
Louisbourg museum among those not opening due to COVID-19
LOUISBOURG — The COVID-19 pandemic has led some historical sites in Cape Breton to stay closed for the 2020 season.
The Sydney and Louisbourg Railway Museum announced June 13 on its Facebook page that the site would not be opening this year “due to the impacts of COVID-19.”
“This was a hard decision to make as the museum has been welcoming visitors at the gateway to our community as a museum since 1972, and prior to that as a station since 1895,” the post reads.
“Saying that, we have several projects planned, including repairs to the roof of the station, work on the trains, new program development and archive management. We will have summer students employed and at the station periodically, strictly following our COVID-19 guidelines.”
On June 9, the Cape Breton Post requested an interview with museum staff after learning they would not be opening but were still hiring students.
In a written response, a spokesperson said, “Our students will be doing a combination of projects aimed at promoting the station and general history, archival work, online presence, etc. We are meeting this week to finalize our plan.”
A request this week seeking an update wasn’t acknowledged by press deadline.
On the June 13 Facebook post, the museum’s statement went on to say they understand the “impacts” their decision might have on the community.
“It's going to be a challenging year for Louisbourg. We encourage you to come and enjoy the amazing scenery on the trails here, spend a day at the beach and support our local businesses. The S&L hopes to be back better than ever in 2021.”
OLD TOWN HALL CLOSED
Old Town Hall in Glace Bay is also staying closed for at least the summer due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Along with the restrictions on numbers of people at public gatherings, required social distancing protocols and increased cleaning, the much needed roof repairs on the historic building were delayed.
“As for the opening of Old Town Hall (this year), things are still up in the air,” said spokesperson Elke Ibrahim.
“We are not getting any summer (grant) students, which makes opening as usual impossible. We are trying various avenues, like students wanting volunteer experience for government scholarships.
"Also, we are waiting for the roofers. COVID-19 has upset their schedule, so we wait.”
There are some museums, like the Cape Breton Miners' Museum in Glace Bay, that are getting ready to open following new provincially approved public health safety guidelines. It is recommended people wishing to go to a museum call in advance to see what protocols are in place.