A $60,000 Grant to Support the Embrun Museum

The Township of Russell and the Société historique d'Embrun (better known as Station Embrun Committee) are delighted to announce that the Township has received a $60,000 grant from the Department of Canadian Heritage to support the Société historique d'Embrun's project to create a museum at the Embrun train station. This funding, awarded through the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program, Legacy Fund component, will support the creation of the museum and related activities for fiscal years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026.

The Legacy Fund component is a program that provides funding for community-initiated capital projects that restore, renovate or transform buildings or outdoor spaces intended for community use. Eligible capital projects may include renovations to commemorate milestone anniversaries, starting with centennials or subsequent anniversaries in 25-year increments, or to pay tribute to a local historical event or personality.

This project is the result of the hard work of the Embrun Train Station Comittee, which two years ago incorporated as the non-profit Société Historique d'Embrun. What's more, Société Historique d'Embrun has just obtained its federal charitable status. Its main objectives are to:

• Create a museum in Embrun's old train station by collecting and preserving historical artifacts,
• Promote the history of Embrun and the region by highlighting the Francophone heritage of our community,
• Work closely with the Township of Russell and the Embrun train station to host activities related to the region's heritage.

Thanks to this grant, Société Historique d'Embrun will be able to restore and transform the original Embrun train station warehouse into a museum celebrating our region's unique francophone heritage. The seasonal museum (spring to fall) will showcase memorabilia and artifacts collected from the community. It will become an educational and cultural space where residents and visitors of all regions and origins can gather around the history of the village.

“I'm so proud of the progress our dedicated members have been able to accomplish in collaboration with the Township, and I'm excited to proceed with Phase 2 of our vision for the Embrun train station!” said Israël Michaud, Chairman of the Board of the Société Historique d'Embrun.

We thank Canadian Heritage for its generous support and are committed to using this funding to achieve these ambitious goals. Further details on specific upcoming initiatives will be shared in the coming months. We invite you to follow the development of the project on Station Embrun’s Facebook page. For more information on this grant, visit the Canadian Heritage website.