Award Received for No. 1 Japanese Town Interpretive Trail Project
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Cumberland’s Parks and Outdoor Recreation Coordinator, Kevin McPhedran, and past Executive Director of the Cumberland Museum and Archives, Michelle Willard, have been awarded a certificate of merit for their work promoting the history of Japanese Canadians in Cumberland through the No. 1 Japanese Town signage project in Coal Creek Historic Park from the British Columbia Historical Federation.
The interpretive walking trail project was completed in the spring of 2019 with an unveiling ceremony on June 8, 2019. The ceremony was attended by families of community members of No. 1 Japanese Town.
“The Japanese Canadian community played a pivotal role in the development of Cumberland, and the new interpretive walking trail is a great learning tool to share the story of No. 1 Townsite and other Japanese Canadian settlements in the area with local residents and visitors alike”, said Village of Cumberland Mayor, Leslie Baird. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Cumberland Museum and Archives on the project, for the funding support of the Province of BC, and for all the contributions from community volunteers who have worked hard on site improvements over the years.”
Park improvements included the construction of 450 meters of barrier-free park pathways, trailhead amenities including a picnic table, an information kiosk and parking area upgrades, and a self guided interpretive walking trail. The walking trail is made up of nine interpretive panels that tell the story of No. 1 Town and other Japanese Canadian settlements in the surrounding area.
The project was a collaboration between the Village of Cumberland and the Cumberland Museum and Archives, and the financial support of the Province of British Columbia was gratefully acknowledged.
Find out more about the history of No. 1 Japanese Town in Coal Creek Historic Park.
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