Changes are coming to Campbell River’s Maritime Heritage Centre.
A new executive director, Erika Anderson, and a new assistant manager, Sheri Hayward, have been recruited to lead the organization forward after a challenging couple of pandemic years.
“The last two years have taken a toll on the organization, but now things are starting to look up. We have lots of event bookings and are starting to plan out some programming tying into the maritime exhibits,”Anderson says.
Ian Baikie, Vice-President of the Board and active Rotarian adds, “The community cherishes the building and its location on the shore of Discovery Passage. For people wanting to hold a special gathering there is no place better in the community that features this beautiful environment. With the new perspectives and new staff, we hope to remind the community that we are open for business, and we welcome them in to come spend time in this facility again.”
Anderson brings to the table a background in museums and communications, while Hayward has worked for many years in event planning.
“I think we’ll make a good team,” Anderson says. “Our skills compliment each other nicely and should fill the needs of the organization moving forward.”
The Maritime Heritage Centre was built by Rotary with help from many community members and donated to the City of Campbell River. It houses the historic fishing vessel BCP 45.
The museum portion of the Maritime Heritage Centre is currently open Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and rentals are available seven days a week. Watch for details of programming coming this fall, including a Maritime Heritage Fair Nov. 27. The Maritime Heritage Centre is looking for volunteers to help with tours, for the fair and to help with programming. Contact info@maritimeheritagecentre.ca for more information.