Closing Point Ellice House (again)
Round and round it will go as the politicians and the bureaucrats keep doing the same thing while expecting a different outcome.
On Tuesday morning I received a text message from a journalist asking if I would like to comment on the recent news that Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens is once again closing down.
I’ve been through this before. I was forced to close down Point Ellice House in 2023. A lack of financial support from the Province of BC, the site’s owner, was the reason.
In 2024, the Metis Nation of BC took over the site’s management. The reasons for the closure this time are not clear - neither the Province or MNBC will say why they are ending the contract and closing the site.
One thing is clear: the site has been on the decline since 2024. The open hours were slashed from the initial requirement set by the province (this summer the site was open Wednesday to Friday, 11am to 4pm), the gardens are in decline (including the South Garden which we received funding from the province to restore), and a 10 foot tall fence erected on the street to keep people from seeing in (or out). Nothing says “Please Visit” like limited hours and huge fences.
I’ve had a lot to say about how the Province fails to adequately fund its provincially-owned heritage sites, and I’m happy to keep saying it until the situation changes. So, I replied to the journalist’s message and I have taken several other media requests for comment. I have shared some of those stories below.
As to Point Ellice House, that’s a loss I have already grieved, and already written about:
I don’t know if a house can grieve
What now?
The Province says it will look at ways to keep the site open to the public. With what staff? With what volunteers? Building a 10 foot high fence does not seem to be a thing you do if you have plans to welcome the public. In fact, the fence — which violates all principles of heritage conservation — seems to have been built in anticipation of this latest closure.
More importantly, if BC is not willing to commit to increased funding for the site operations than the site faces a very uncertain future. Round and round it will go as the politicians and the bureaucrats keep doing the same thing while expecting a different outcome.
Times Colonist: Former operator not surprised by closure of Victoria’s Point Ellice House
CFAX 1070: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwQYxZ4EeE0 (6 minute interview)
Chek News: Point Ellice House in Victoria closing as public heritage site
