FORT QU'APPELLE — The Fort Qu’Appelle Heritage Museum is raising money to purchase a house with ties to the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC).
The McDonald House, located next to the museum, is a 23-room Victorian mansion originally owned by Archibald McDonald, a chief factor of the HBC.
“The home itself sits on a historical piece of property that occupies the site of the original Fort Qu’Appelle,” said Alan Hustak, the curator of the Fort Qu’Appelle Heritage Museum.
Inside the home are historical items, including a desk owned by former prime minister John Diefenbaker.
“There is [also] a huge collection of paintings. Much of the original furniture is still in the building,” said Hustak.
The museum has made an offer to purchase the home for $300,000, with a deadline at the end of September.
So far, roughly $50,000 to $80,000 has been raised. Hustak said companies have pledged donations, but the museum is still waiting on cheques.
Ideally, the museum hopes to raise $500,000, as the McDonald House would need constant maintenance for a large property. Multiple people have owned the property over time, and the inside is in good shape from renovations done.
Hustak said companies can buy certain rooms inside the home for upwards of $40,000 to fast-track the fundraising target.
Realistically, Hustak said the area could be made into a McDonald’s Civic Park.
The museum plans to open parts of the home year-round. Currently, the museum itself is only open three months of the year, attracting anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 people.
More information on the fundraiser can be found here.
