Located in the seaside village of Kaay Llnagaay in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia), the centre sits on land that was set aside for the facility over 30 years ago.
Although the centre has been in operation since July 2007, the official grand opening marks its full completion, including new exhibits in the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and the Haida Heritage Site.
The opening ceremony began with remarks by Haida elders, hereditary chiefs and Bill Fisher, director general of Western and Northern Canada for Parks Canada who spoke on behalf of the federal government, according to a news release.
“Our community has dreamed about and planned for this day for decades,” said Miles Richardson, CEO of the centre.
“This marks an important transition and emphasizes that we are not relics of the past—we are a modern, living, breathing people. While we think of the centre as being world class, we strive for a higher level: Haida class.”
Richardson thanked the provincial and federal governments, community members and other partners for their contributions which helped bring the centre to fruition. A message from Premier Gordon Campbell was also read at the ceremony.
A highlight of the ceremony, which included Haida dancing, was the unveiling of the “Heart of Canada Pole,” which will reside in the Pole Gallery in the Haida Gwaii Museum.
