The Village of Cumberland, in partnership with the Cumberland Museum and Archives, will celebrate the completion of an interpretive walking trail at the No. 1 Japanese Town Historic Site in Cumberland’s Coal Creek Historic Park.
A public ceremony will be take place on Saturday, June 8, at 1:30 p.m. at the site.
“The Japanese Canadian community played a pivotal role in the development of Cumberland, and the new interpretive walking trail is a great learning tool to share the story of No. 1 Townsite and other Japanese Canadian settlements in the area with local residents and visitors alike”, said Village of Cumberland Mayor, Leslie Baird. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Cumberland Museum and Archives on the project, for the funding support of the Province of BC, and for all the contributions from community volunteers who have worked hard on site improvements over the years.”
The ceremony is expected to be attended by families of community members of No. 1 Japanese Town and will follow with an opportunity to take a self-guided tour of the site. Light refreshments will be provided. Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to the Cultural Centre and Cumberland Museum and Archives to socialize and celebrate the opening of the museum’s new Royston Lumber Mill exhibit.
Park improvements implemented over the past eighteen months include the construction of 450 meters of barrier-free park pathways, trailhead amenities including a picnic table, an information kiosk and parking area upgrades, and a self guided interpretive walking trail. The walking trail is made up of nine interpretive panels that tell the story of No. 1 Town and other Japanese Canadian settlements in the surrounding area.
The project is a collaboration between the Village of Cumberland and the Cumberland Museum and Archives, and we gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.