ONCE UPON A TIME IN GIBSONS The Town of Gibsons Heritage ...

SUNSHINE COAST MUSEUM & ARCHIVES
(formerly Elphinstone Pioneer Museum)
716 Winn Road (Lot 4, Plan 14197)
Constructed: 1974
Type of construction: frame on cement slab, tar & gravel roof
Original owner: Town of Gibsons
Reason for inclusion:
HISTORICAL & CULTURAL IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY
The Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives (originally called the Elphinstone Pioneer Musuem)
houses the collections originally amassed by members of the Elphinstone Pioneer Museum
Society and the Sunshine Coast Maritime Museum Society. It houses an impressive collection
of photographs, archival documents, artifacts, rare and out of print books, memorabilia from the
Sunshine Coast’s earliest days as well as sundry personal collections of interest (e.g. the Bland
Butterfl y Collection.)
The fi rst museum opened by the Elphinstone Pioneer Museum Society (registered for this
purpose on June 22, 1965) was designed to house the collection amassed by local historian Lester
Peterson. It occupied the basement of the Municipal Hall on South Fletcher St. (rent-free) and was
offi cially opened by then-premier W.A.C. Bennett on May 25, 1965. As the Town offi ces required
additional space, the museum was moved to the basement of the old library building next door
(still rent-free). When an opportunity arose to rent the premises to the Provincial Government,
the Mayor and Council agreed to erect a new and larger building for museum use on Winn Road
(at its present location.) Accordingly, the Town applied for grant funding and built a single-story
structure. The Elphinstone Pioneer Museum was offi cially opened by Premier David Barrett. The
premises were again provided rent-free by the Town of Gibsons, subsidized in part from revenue
from the portion of the building occupied by the ICBC offi ce.
Lola Westell recalls the building’s fl at roof was an ideal space for bands to perform open-air
concerts in summertime.
As the collection continued to expand the Elphinstone Pioneer Museum Society applied for
funding to add a second storey to the structure (with wheelchair access) and volunteers assisted
with its construction.
Gibsons Heritage Inventory and Register 69
photo by Going Coastal Communications Group, 2005