Past PMVF Directors for 2009~2010 Term

Standing: Dennis Mann, Mandy Smiles (staff), Bill McLean,
Suzanne Derome, Mary Cook, Tania Taylor and Rose Cowan
Seated: Laura Drake, Pat Dunnill and Bill Weston

• Pat Dunnill, Chair

• Rose Cowan, Vice Chair/Director
  

• Bill Weston, Director/Treasurer
  

• Tania Taylor, Director/Membership
  

• Mary Cook, Director/Secretary/Webmistress
  

• Cecilia Boudreau, Director
  

• Suzanne Derome, Director
  

• Bill Utton, Director/Hotel Committee
  

• Dennis Mann, Director
  

• Bill McLean, Director/Council Rep
  

• Suzanne Primrose, Director
  

• Laura Drake, Ex-Officio

2009 Community Group Award

Mayor Ryan, Councillor McLean (and PMVF Director), PMVF Directors: Bill Utton, Bill Weston, Suzanne Derome, Mary Cook, Rose Cowan, Patrick Dunnill, Councillor O’Connell and Councillor Pickles | Photography by Walter Lewis, PhotoArtz

On May 31, 2010, the Foundation was presented with the City of Pickering Community Group Award for their outstanding achievements.

The Pickering Museum Village Foundation was created as a fundraising organization to enhance the care of the artifacts of the museum village and assist with large projects that the City would find difficult to accomplish without outside assistance. In the short time the Foundation has existed, it has raised over $700,000 and 97% of that has gone directly into the museum village. Much of this was achieved through weekly bingos at Delta Bingo in Pickering. Consistent supporters of the Foundation and its efforts are Ontario Power Generation and Veridian. Backwoods Players annually donate the profits from their highly successful Whodunit? and Bloomers and Britches share the revenue earned from plant and tearoom sales. The Foundation has also been the benefactor of donations and contributions from a number of small businesses and individuals interested in the preservation of our heritage.

The Foundation has also received grants from the Friends of the Environment Foundation and the McLean Foundation. The Pickering Museum Village Foundation was founded in 1996 when an early 1800s log house was donated by Louise Parkes and family to the museum village. While the big dream was restoration of the Brougham Central Hotel, the new building was reconstructed to be a C1830 schoolhouse. Through many hours of fundraising and bingo by Foundation members and friends, the PMVF partnered with the Town of Pickering to finance and open this educational feature in June 2000 for the children of Durham. The Foundation’s portion of this project was in excess of $50,000 and is available to rent for small meetings.

Laura Drake was the first chair and, current chair, Pat Dunnill was elected to that position in 2000.

In 2001 PMVF members were the recipients of a Certificate of Achievement by the Ontario Heritage Foundation in appreciation of contributions to heritage conservation, and work to preserve, protect and promote our Province’s rich heritage.

The Foundation again partnered with the City to convert a local heritage building into a much needed programme centre simultaneously freeing up the Brougham Central Hotel for restoration. The accomplishment of this required more appeals to local citizens, businesses and the inevitable—more bingo. The Foundation’s involvement in the new programme centre was $250,000. The official opening was September 2005 and it is also available to rent.

Along the way the Foundation got involved with smaller projects in the museum. The interior walls and furnishings of the 1853 Bible Christian Chapel were in desperate need of repairs and volunteers from the entire PMV community pitched in to help. Benjamin Moore donated materials and a demonstration of how to apply a faux woodgrain finish to the newly created pews. This building is also a revenue generator as a popular wedding chapel.

The Fall Family Festival was created as a free event and has consistently drawn an exceptional crowd.

Over the years the Foundation has tried many fundraisers: a Read-A-Thon, Cow Plop Lottery, published a book “If walls could talk”, brought the “Bush-Ladies” to Pickering, raffled quilts, held horseshoes, an Annual Raffle and a Rubber Duckie RACE.

In 2010 the Brougham Temperance House will re-open as the first Temperance Hotel to be located in a Southern Ontario Museum.

The Foundation thanks, The City of Pickering; Katrina Pyke, Coordinator, Museum Operations and PineRidge Arts Council for the nomination.

Current PMVF Directors for 2010-2011 Term

• Rose Cowan, Chair

• Pat Dunnill, Past Chair

• Bea Jenkins, Vice-Chair/Secretary

• Suzanne Primrose, Director/Treasurer

• Jeannique Cote, Director/Meeting Facilitator

• Laura Coulter, Director/Membership Secretary

• Suzanne Derome, Director/Bingo Coordinator

• Aaren Gillis, Director/Youth Representative

• Dennis Mann, Director

• Bill McLean, Director/Council Rep

• Greg Oakes, Director

• Harold Quinton, Director

• Terry Arvisais, Director