The Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum is one of 12 historic places across Canada up for $65,000 in cash prizes that could help the museum turn its founder’s house into an archival centre.

The museum is a finalist in the fourth annual Next Great Save contest, run by the National Trust for Canada charity, which works to conserve and promote historic sites. 

Finalists make their pitch on the plans to refresh their sites and the public can vote for on the contest website. You can vote once a day between April 7 and 24, with winners being announced on the last day. First prize is $50,000, second is $10,000 and third is $5,000. 

The museum in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., pitched its ongoing effort to turn the 1911 home of its founder Janet Carnochan into a research and archival centre with modern climate control, fire protection, accessibility upgrades, and security features.

House to become part of museum

“We have a lot to tell and a lot to show and a lot to protect,” Barbara Worthy, the museum’s community engagement coordinator, told CBC Hamilton Friday.

She said there are 40,000 documents full of stories that can one day live in the old home, and the sooner they can be preserved the better.

The Carnochan house is next door to the museum, which purchased it two years ago, Worthy said. The museum has been raising funds to upgrade the house and connect it to its main building.

WATCH | Barbara Worthy explains the museum’s plans for the Carnochan house:

Why the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum wants to upgrade its founder’s house

Barbara Worthy, community engagement coordinator at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., explains her organizations plans for its founder Janet Carnochan’s house.

The prize would help speed the project along, she said, but even if the museum doesn’t win, anyone who votes in the contest is helping to raise awareness about adapting and re-using historic sites. 

“We see stories [about historical sites] being destroyed around the world,” Worthy said. “That’s not going to happen here.” 

The other finalists in the Next Great Save are:

• Fort Point Lighthouse Interpretation Centre in Trinity, N.L.
• Ancienne Église Sainte-Marie in Church Point, N.S.
• Trinity Anglican Church in Digby, N.S.
• Église Notre-Dame-des-Neiges in Trois-Pistoles, Que.
• Fort Ingall in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac, Que.
• Missisquoi Museum – Cornell Mill in East Stanbridge, Que.
• Backhouse Grist Mill in Port Rowan, Ont.
• St. John’s United Church in Brockville, Ont.
• The Spire in Kingston, Ont.
• Old Coleman High School in Coleman, Alta.
• 108 Mile Ranch Heritage Site in South Cariboo Region, B.C.

Funding for the prizes come from a sponsorship by Ecclesiastical Insurance.