Vancouver’s oldest building — and the museum it houses — will be able to keep the doors open and in good repair, after an outpouring of community support.
The Old Hastings Mill put out an urgent appeal in June, after an annual cultural grant form the City of Vancouver was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The facility had recently done some key upgrades, and with the bank account drained and no more visitors, operators said it could go under.
Built around 1868, the mill building was one of the few in Vancouver to escape the great fire that same year.
Six decades later, a group of women fundraised to save the structure from demolition, and it was moved to its current home at the north end of Alma Street.
It now serves as a museum of Vancouver history, home to items like Vancouver City Council’s first table.
Operators started a GoFundMe campaign in June, and by July 3 had raised enough to keep the facility from permanent closure — but not to cover critical repair projects, including a rotten roof.
On Thursday, donors helped get the facility over its $40,000 target, which operators say will ensure it can stay in business, and in good repair for years to come.
— With files from Jordan Armstrong