The Morton Historical Multi-Culture Centre is hosting a fundraiser to restore the Morton Block in Clive on May 23rd. The Morton Block was built in 1908 and organization is fundraising for a number of exciting new displays with an end goal of creating a dynamic cultural hub for the village of Clive.  

“We're putting in a veterans museum, a trading post that'll help artists, a wellness centre which will work on alternative health and wellness, an indigenous sweat lodge, and teaching rooms. It's going to be a multipurpose building that people can rent out as well as host courses there,” said Laurie Hermary, President of the Morton Historical Multi-Culture Centre. 

The organization has a goal of restoring the building that has an extensive history in the village of Clive.  

“The village burned three times in the buildings, survived every fire, but during the Second World War it was the hub for the community. They had a map on the wall where they would attack and to follow where the troops were. They also shipped parcels out of there. My grandmother, Florence McLeod, was the Silver Cross acting Silver Cross Mother. They had the war brides which we were housed there and so it's got a lot of history with the military and the war,” said Hermary.  

The wellness centre will provide a space for Indigenous teachings and alternative wellness. Hermary says it will be a spiritual centre meant to ‘use the past to teach or heal the future’. The buildings and lessons will be created in collaboration with Pablo Russell, Sundance Chief. She has a goal of uniting cultures and people with the buildings restoration.

Additionally, there will be a small exhibition on beekeeping, grandma’s kitchen which will be a rentable space for families and lessons, as well as an ice cream parlor and several other exciting elements. Hermary says the end goal is to have a very versatile space.

“We're going to have many different projects going on in the building because you can't rely on just one thing; you have to rely on many different components to make it successful,” she added.  

As for the activities this long weekend, the Morton Historical Multiculture Centre will be fundraising for their restoration and program expansion.  From 11 AM to 5PM visitors on Monday, May 23 people can take part in a garage sale at the old store, experience story telling with Elders at a tee pee, participate in a silent auction and a charity market and meet Mrs. Globe Canada.

All the activities will be around the historical centre which is located at 5008 50th street in Clive.