The new Canada 150 Cairn at the Chase Museum was formally dedicated on Saturday morning, May 5.
The dedication was attended by North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold, MLA Todd Stone, Village of Chase Mayor Rick Berrigan, Neskonlith Chief Judy Wilson and other representatives of the indigenous communities, the Chase Museum and Archives Society, and members of the general public.
The dedication ceremony was opened by the president of the Chase Museum Board, Anne Lamoureux, and continued with comments from government representatives, and comments, prayers, and blessings from indigenous representatives.
Major funding for the cairn was provided by a grant from the BC Museums Association as part of the Canada 150 Lasting Legacies Program. Support was also provided by the Village of Chase, the Little Shuswap Lake (Skw’lax) Indian Band, the Neskonlith (Sk’atsin te Secwepémc) Indian Band, and the Adams Lake (Cstélec te Secwepémc) Indian Band.
The support of all parties is recognized by individual plaques mounted on the cairn. The brass bell mounted on the top of the cairn was originally donated by the CPR, to the church that was the original occupant of the building that now houses the Chase Museum. The cairn contains a time capsule, to be opened at a distant future date.
The cairn commemorates the history of the development of the area, and will stand through the future as a reminder to all of the importance of contributions made by many individuals.