A homestead experience from the Millar Family coming to the FIC grounds this summer

The Whitecourt & District Heritage Society is looking to greatly improve the Forest Interpretive Centre
(FIC) grounds with several significant additions to the property. The John & Audrey Dahl Heritage Park
and Museum is already a popular spot for exploration and enjoyment. Numerous outbuildings and
machinery, a beautiful flower garden, and a swath of artifacts lining the path to the big red barn make it
an interesting and enjoyable place to visit, rich with local history.
During a recent Whitecourt Town Council meeting, the Whitecourt & District Heritage Society requested
help to bring a big project to fruition. Though there are more pieces to the project, they had five
requests to get things started. “They have looked at an overarching plan for the Heritage Park and
Museum and are still working on that. They would like to present that to Council in September, but, in
the meantime, they have five items they would like to work on through the summer months,” explained
Chelsea Grande, Director of Community Services.
Over the last two years, with an influx of new members bringing a fresh perspective and vitality to the
group, the society has been busy putting its ideas together. They developed plans, attended planning
sessions, and started community partnerships with other groups and societies in the community. Their
objective, as stated in the meeting’s RFD, is “ to create a vibrant and inclusive anchor point at the entry
to Whitecourt, to showcase Whitecourt’s and Woodlands County’s rich history, historic sites, and
current attractions, leaving a lasting legacy of the Communities’ heritage and identity.”
The first ask from Council was to create a cement pad southwest of the parking lot with the assistance of
local community partners. “It’s to move some heavy equipment that is right in front of the Forest
Interpretive Centre, as well as possibly some new items depending on what they decide with Millar, as
Millar has some items that they may move over as well,” explained Grande.
With the equipment currently near the building, alongside the parking lot, moved to a new spot, it
would free up room for something else to fill the space. That’s where the second request comes into
play. The society wants to move the Millar Family’s log summer home and the Millar Western
blacksmith shop onto the freed-up land. “The blacksmith shop has all the working equipment. It would
be a neat addition to the FIC. That would be placed in the area where the equipment is right now and
kind of build a yard almost all around the Heritage Garden that’s there currently. It could be almost like
a little homestead there,” explained Grande.
The third request from the society is for help cleaning up around the barn. “If you walk out there, you’ll
see there are some different items that have been out there for a while, and some are no longer any
good. They would like to have the town’s assistance with the disposal of those. Then they would lift up
the remaining items and put them on skids so that they stay and are preserved for the future.”
The fourth task involves placing two temporary storage units, placed discreetly. “They would be for
inventorying the barn and for the blacksmith equipment to be in until they get the blacksmith shop
moved over. There are a lot of items in the barn right now, and this would allow them to go through
them and figure out what they want to keep and put on display and then where they want to place the
other items,” said Grande.

The final request from the Whitecourt & District Heritage Society involved the foul odour that
sometimes wafts over from the nearby lift station, making the playground and picnic table area a bit
stinky. “They’ve asked for Administration to look into that.” They also wondered if the lift station could
be disguised or camouflaged to help it blend in with the area better.
Council voted unanimously to authorize the placement of the two new buildings and the concrete pad.
The Millar Family is forever part of the fabric and identity of the municipality. Their contributions are a
big reason Whitecourt is the bustling community it is today, an impact that cannot be overstated. The
blacksmith shop was one of the first in the community. The work is planned to take place by the end of
the summer.