According to a report by the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), Lacombe has a lot of room for improvement in the way it stores its historical artifacts.

Currently, collections are kept in the basement of the Michener House, which does not come with environmental controls that a proper facility would have. The federal agency’s report flags threats of flooding and water leaks, fire damage, exposure to pollutants and gaps in security.

None of that came as a surprise to the society’s executive director Marie Peron, whose organization hired CCI to conduct the assessment last year.

A few easy remedies would be to install fire and flood alarms, cameras and motion sensors, UV filters and to secure objects on open display.

Peron says they also need more space for collections and want a purpose-built facility in the long-term. The ideal spot would be the parking lot next to Michener House.

“The Michener House is a little bit of an island at the moment. Historically, the property where the parking lot is located today, was the location of the Grace Methodist Church. It was the oldest and first church ever built in Lacombe and the Michener House was the manse,” Peron says.

“So it would kind of like being repatriating the property and putting it back together the way it used to be.”

To that end, the society has formed a capital project committee that will be responsible for planning and fundraising.