BLOGOSAUR

Alliance Pipeline presented the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum with a $250,000 donation yesterday to help fund the museum’s Education Centre.

A contingent of Wembley Elementary School Grade Four students was on hand to accept the donation on behalf of all the children who will benefit from the museum’s education programs in the years ahead. The school’s Grade Fours have had a special relationship with the museum project over the last three years as the kids have collected cans and bottles to make an annual donation.

“I’m really excited because I can’t wait to learn about all kinds of dinosaurs,” said Kenadi Jones, 10, who was braving the wind with her Grade Four classmates at the museum site. “I like them because they’re all different in their own little ways.”

Dr. Matthew Vavrek, head palaeontologist at the Pipestone Creek Dinosaur Initiative inspects the Ceratosaurus that Jackson Parkin received as a gift from Alliance Pipeline. The students were happy to have an expert to pepper with palaeontology questions. Photo by Erika Sherk.

There will be a lot of learning happening at the museum, there’s no doubt of that. The planned Education Centre will be a vital part of operations, with two fully-equipped Smart technology classrooms and the 70-seat theatre. The Alliance Pipeline name will now be displayed at the Centre to recognize the company’s contribution.

The Education Centre funding is a good fit for Alliance Pipeline, said Trevor Loberg, Alliance’s Grande Prairie Area Manager, who was at the site with the donation cheque and an armful of dinosaur toys for the students. “It’s an exciting project from our perspective. The educational aspect is really important to us – we’re glad to be able to support educational opportunities like this not just for our young people but for the entire community.”

“I’m pretty excited to see what the dinosaurs are and what they can do,” said Jackson Parkin, 9, who was holding a toothy toy Ceratosaurus – a gift from Alliance Pipeline. “They’ve been extinct for a really long time!”

The Grade Fours are ready! Bring on the museum! Photo by Erika Sherk.

A full slate of original, curriculum-based programs has already been developed for the museum classrooms, for kindergarten to Grade 12 as well as several all-ages programs for the public. They’re fun and chock-full of things to learn. The educational components are worked in through puppetry, song, ‘adventure walks,’ crafts, scientific experiments and art. No one is ever bored in one of these programs! The theatre will similarly be multi-use, for public education purposes including palaeontology talks, scientific presentations, educational films, conferences and more.

“We share Alliance’s enthusiasm for the educational component of this museum,” said Brian Brake, Executive Director, Pipestone Creek Dinosaur Initiative. “We have an excellent program roster prepared and validated, and Alliance’s contribution is certainly going to help us make it a reality.”

Construction on the museum began in June 2013 and it is progressing beautifully and scheduled for opening in December 2014.

Thanks again to Alliance Pipeline for such a generous investment in the education of everyone who visits the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum!