A group of dedicated collectors in the greater Edmonton area are hoping to start up a new museum showcasing dozens of restored, working military vehicles.
Reg Hodgson became fascinated with military jeeps back in 1967, when he purchased one from a local surplus store.
Why, you might ask?
“Very limited production, made in a very short time,” he’d say.
Hodgson is an advisor with the non-profit Valour Park Association. His collection of 19 vehicles from the Second World War have been lovingly restored and are now all roadworthy.
“Here we are, some 82 years later, trying to keep them running and find parts for them.”
Hodgson feels it’s important to teach this part of Canadian history in a hands-on way to the younger generations.
“If you don’t learn from history, you’re doomed to repeat it. And I’m afraid we haven’t spent enough time in Canada on Canadian history.”
He’s already invited cadets and Boy Scout groups to interact with his prized vehicles.
“This was a real eye-opener to them. I talked to them about the vehicles and the Canadian contribution in the Second World War and how outstanding it was,” Hodgson said.
He served himself, as a member of the military police Canadian Provost Corps.
Hodgson is one of around 90 members of Valour Park and together, they have 200 military vehicles from various conflicts they want to share with the public.
“Many members have vehicles from the Cold War, Korea War, right up to Afghanistan,” president Scott Collacutt said.
“We’d like to be able to display 60 to 80 vehicles at any time and we need to find a home to do this.”
The group has been looking for a building that can not only showcase their collections, but also allow people to get their hands dirty restoring the vehicles and even taking them out for a test run.
They’re currently considering a location at the Villeneuve Airport, and said they’re open to working with another local museum that’s found itself in need of a new home: the Alberta Aviation Museum.
“Our vehicles are all still in working condition and we want to have a museum that will have a test track, so we can exercise the vehicles and have people ride in them,” Collacutt explained.
Some of the vehicles have already been featured in movies and documentaries.
Valour Park would like to engage more young people with field trips and summer camps once their museum is up and running.
“We’re hoping to entice the youth into this summer camp to learn about Canadian military history and try to make it as fun as possible, so they remember it,” explained vice-president Hans Brink.
Collacutt was a master corporal with the Royal Canadian Mechanical Engineers — so he, too, has a personal connection to the cause.
“I myself served for 21 years and it matters to me because I want the public to know that we have a history and it was very important to the rest of the world,” he explained.
“I think it’s been forgotten and I think it’s been taken for granted.”