The Osgoode Township Museum will be closed for a month as it undergoes renovations this spring.
The museum and historical society located in Vernon will close after its St. Patrick’s Day festivities on March 16, and won’t open again until the middle of April.
The renovations are part of a one-time capital grant from the city of Ottawa to make the building more accessible.
“We are reconfiguring our washrooms to make them more wheelchair accessible,” said museum curator Robin Cushnie. “Currently they are not accessible, not to the current standards anyway. “
A lip on the back door entrance will also be lowered to allow wheelchair access and a sidewalk will be built between the main building and the barn.
“The walkway to the barn is sort of a safety issue as well, the ground is a little uneven,” Cushnie said. “It’s also (helpful) for interpretation because it links the two buildings together.”
The barn holds the museum’s agriculture exhibits and artefacts like antique tractors and farm equipment.
Cushnie said the renovations will cost about $50,000, most of which will be covered by the city, which owns the building. The museum will cover anything over that amount.
For those who want to squeeze in some extra museum time before it closes, the museum will host several kids’ programs during the March Break, and a St. Patrick’s Day crafternoon and adult Ukrainian egg painting class on March 16.