Membertou Museum C

Abstract

In this case, students are introduced to the community of Membertou. In 2005, after push from community members for more cultural facilities and a jump in the tourism industry, Membertou planned to open a museum to showcase their community’s history and culture. At the same time, Membertou was looking at purchasing a parcel of land that would need to be used in such a way that would benefit the entire community while also functioning as a green space. After significant research, the project moved forward with a committee of Elders advising on the development of a new model for a museum which they referred to as a heritage park because it would be located in a green space. With great pride, this committee met frequently for over a year, extensively planning the presentation of information, site development, stakeholder analysis, research methodology, and needs assessment. The team of Elders and other consultants created a business plan projecting costs at $5.5 million that would be acquired through fundraising and from the band’s own source revenue (OSR). Several years later, Membertou still hadn’t raised enough funds for the project and were facing a significant decline in tourism. The chief and council were faced with the challenge of deciding whether to move forward with the heritage park project.