Jan Robinson, cultural and historical education specialist, and Ron Ulrich, cultural and historical team leader for the Town of Okotoks, discuss some replica lace chosen for the windows of the newly renovated Heritage House, which is home to the Okotoks Museum and Archives. Behind them is the replica wallpaper chosen to be as close as possible to what would have been in the home that was built in 1905. photo by Tamara Neely

When the freshly-painted doors of the Okotoks Museum reopen, they will be a portal into a home of the pioneers at the turn-of-the-century.

This year Okotoks town council decided to channel $70,000 into structural upgrades to the museum, located on North Railway Street, in order to make all areas of the house safe to access and to restore its historic character.
On Saturday, the public will have the first opportunity to see how the ambience has changed.
The first thing visitors will notice is the burgundy exterior with cream and black highlights — a colour scheme carefully selected to represent the trends common to the era when the house was built. It is also a nod to the historic Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) station, now the home of the Okotoks Art Gallery at the Station which is next door to the museum.
“We chose this colour (Edwardian burgundy) because it closely matches the CPR trains that would have been coming through Okotoks at the same time. So because of the proximity to the train station, we thought we’d pay homage to the CPR heritage in Okotoks,” said Ron Ulrich, cultural and historical services team leader for the Town of Okotoks.
Inside the house, moldings that are made to look like they came from the same era strengthen the turn-of-the-century decor.
Ulrich said only 40 per cent of the original moldings remained in the house when the Town acquired the building and they were used to create replicas for the rest of the house.
Gazing at the homey wallpaper one might never guess the effort that went into choosing the decor.
Ulrich explained they knew there was originally wallpaper in the home because small bits were found around the electrical outlets in the main room. Wanting to incorporate a design that fits with the aesthetics of the period, companies in North America offering replicas of period wallpaper were contacted.
A company in Victoria offered the most economical selection of three patterns, Ulrich said. None matched, so an interior designer who specializes in heritage homes was contacted. Based on her years of research, she made the choice — a creamy colour accented with a stripe and berry pattern.
The warm colour scheme, the replica light fixtures, the refinished and original flooring give a clean, welcoming feeling to the space.
The budget was not just spent on the interior design. Structural changes had to be made to ensure the building was safe, Ulrich said.
Rotting floor joists on the second floor, including on the veranda, were addressed. The railing on the veranda was also fixed.
“If you’d have leaned out you would have gone over,” said Ulrich.
The main floor and the second floor will be used to show exhibits, Ulrich said, and the bright, airy attic is used for education programs and a meeting space.
“Some of the renovations were done to help us meet our programming needs — so all of the safety issues had to be addressed to accommodate the classes,” said Ulrich.
Interactive discussions for senior citizens are now offered at the museum on the fourth Sunday of each month and one weekend per month artists will be exhibiting their work in the museum. School classes will also be welcome to tour the museum when the new exhibits are in place and the space will also be available for the public to rent for functions.
On Saturday, when the doors open, the public will be able to wander through the house, admire the architectural and interior design in the Heritage House. However, a new exhibit won’t open until Dec. 5.
Opening Dec. 5, two foothills artists will have show a collection of their landscape and western paintings until Dec. 20. The exhibit would normally be held across the parking lot at the art gallery at The Station, however, the gallery will be closed until January while a fire suppression system is installed.
The next historical exhibit, called Okotoks and the Olympics and highlights the town’s role in the 1988 Winter Olympics, will open in the museum on Jan. 10.
On Feb. 12 a historical exhibition called Vanishing Landscapes will open at the museum. The show, which is on loan from the Galt Museum and Archives in Lethbridge, features themes of Alberta life during the 1920s to 1940s. For example, the life of Blackfeet First Nations, ranch life and increasing settlements and formations of towns will be included.
Then in May, a permanent exhibit will be launched that tells the story of how Okotoks came to be and how it’s evolved over the years.
“It’s a story of the people and the land,” said Ulrich.
tneely@okotoks.greatwest.ca

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