KIRKLAND LAKE — The Museum of Northern History at the Sir Harry Oakes Chateau, a beloved pillar of Kirkland Lake’s heritage, will reopen in February thanks to the collaborative efforts of many, including the Oakes Project: Heritage, Arts and Tourism (OPHAT), the Town of Kirkland Lake and the Ontario Heritage Trust. This was also made possible because of generous funding provided by donors, with special thanks to Alamos Gold Inc., Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., Triple Flag Precious Metals Corp. and Franco-Nevada Corporation.

The Town of Kirkland Lake requested to terminate their lease on the Chateau in spring 2024, and the Trust’s Board of Directors approved this request in October. The Town’s council has chosen to focus on core services while seeking solutions for non-core services, including museum operations. It will be transferring the Museum of Northern History’s collection to OPHAT and offering transitional support.

OPHAT, a volunteer association of local heritage champions, is thrilled to announce the grand reopening of the Museum of Northern History in February 2025. Doors will be open on a regular basis featuring tours and returning favourite programs, as well as new and exciting enterprises to meet the interests of both residents and tourists. OPHAT welcomes involvement on all levels, including new and evolving community partnerships, to help navigate the role of the Museum in the community.

The Chateau was acquired by the Ontario Heritage Trust in 1981 as a provincially significant example of Northern Ontario’s mining heritage. The Trust is committed to its conservation, investing $740,000 into structural work at the property in 2024. The project is now substantially complete, with final finishing touches to come this spring.

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“The Oakes Project: Heritage Arts and Tourism is so grateful to the Ontario Heritage Trust, our generous donors and the Town of Kirkland Lake for recognizing the symbiotic relationship between the Museum and the Chateau,” said Ann Black of OPHAT. “Together, this achievement recognizes Kirkland Lake's mining heritage, shared by many Northern Ontario communities, while showcasing an iconic heritage building.”

“We are creating an opportunity for this important piece of our community’s heritage to reach its full potential under the leadership of a dedicated organization,” said Stacy Wight, Mayor of Kirkland Lake. “The Town is proud to have played a role in this partnership and is optimistic about the museum’s future growth and success with OPHAT’s stewardship.”

“What Ontario’s communities need from their heritage sites is changing and the Trust will do its part to support that change alongside them,” said John Ecker, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Heritage Trust. “This is an example of how local heritage groups can work together with the private sector, municipalities and the province to keep a beloved historical gem vital and open for the public to enjoy.”

Contact

For more information about the Ontario Heritage Trust, contact David Leonard, Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist, at 437-246-9065 or david.leonard@heritagetrust.on.ca.

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About the Ontario Heritage Trust

The Ontario Heritage Trust (the Trust) is an agency of the Government of Ontario. The Trust conserves, interprets and shares Ontario’s heritage. We conserve provincially significant cultural and natural heritage, interpret Ontario’s history, celebrate its diversity and educate Ontarians of its importance in our society. The Trust envisions an Ontario where we conserve, value and share the places and landscapes, histories, traditions and stories that embody our heritage, now and for future generations. 

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