The Children’s Discovery Museum on the Saskatchewan (CDM), a not-for-profit organization, aims to create a world-class facility in Saskatoon where children and their families can come together to explore science, culture and art.
The museum is currently located in Market Mall in Saskatoon but plans to open a new, improved museum in the former Mendel Art Gallery when the civic art gallery moves to its new home at the Remai Modern.
The new museum will feature unique exhibits, educational programming and commitment to diversity and local heritage. It will become a creative springboard for the children of Saskatoon and the province, fostering a lifelong love of learning.
CDM’s capital campaign has a fundraising goal of $10 million. Saskatoon’s engineering community has already been doing its part through an initiative called Saskatchewan Engineers Encouraging Discovery (SEED). In 2016, CDM also approached APEGS to make a capital donation. A task group chaired by Ben Boots, P.Eng. FEC, was formed to consider the request.
“This was sort of unfamiliar territory for APEGS because we had not previously done much in the way of capital donations. We have tended to focus more on programming-oriented donations. But we didn’t have an overarching policy that prevented it so we took our time to ensure that it lined up with the APEGS Value Proposition (AVP),” said Boots.
This process included numerous meetings as well as a surprise tour of the existing CDM facility.
In the end, the task group found that there were linkages to seven APEGS committees and that it conformed to the AVP principle of promoting the profession to children and youth.
As a result of this recommendation, APEGS Council agreed to a direct donation to CDM of $25,000 a year for 2016-18. As well, APEGS will match the donations that any APEGS member makes to the SEED campaign up to a total maximum of $100,000.
APEGS President Tara Zrymiak, P.Eng., FEC notes that the potential benefit for member donations goes even further than that.
“Another anonymous donor has already offered to match all individual donations so, for APEGS members, when you donate to this campaign your donation amount will be tripled,” Zrymiak said.
Zrymiak encouraged all members to consider doing what they can to support this campaign.
“I’ve seen the mock-ups and this looks like it is going to be an exciting facility that will be a lot of fun for all ages. This is something that will benefit society and the professions as we make children aware how much they can contribute to the world and make their own dreams come true through the professions. As well, this is a place that your own kids and family will enjoy.”
