{"data":{"id":"fc93939d-62a8-499a-9d16-db9b9a4a6a4e","originKind":"SYNDICATED","title":"Fort McMurray Heritage Village to re-open this spring following $800,000 fraud scandal","summary":"Last week Tuesday, the RMWB council approved an operating plan that will ensure the re-opening of the Fort McMurray Heritage Village and Shipyard in spring 2027.\n\nIn a release shared last week, the RMWB said the plan “supports the long-term preservation and sharing of local history through authentic experiences, meaningful community partnerships, and storytelling that honours Indigenous traditions and perspectives, and the diverse people who have shaped Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.”\n\nStarting in Spring 2027, the Heritage Village will welcome visitors from Monday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., until the fall season.\n\nIt comes less than a month after an individual was charged for allegedly defrauding the Fort McMurray Heritage Society (FMHS), after reports of “missing funds” and “financial irregularities” from their business accounts” were brought to the RCMP in November 2024.\n\nThe Heritage Village and Shipyard and the Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum societies were since dissolved, and all three sites remained closed to the public with their assets absorbed by the municipality to allow for investigations.\n\nCouncil had been looking towards developing a new operations plan and conducted site visits in March 2026 with the Alberta Museums Association (AMA), which revealed significant concerns with the current collections’ storage and preservation methods.\n\nJanelle Fleury and Terra Brenneis, from the municipality’s Community Services, presented the proposed operating plan for the Heritage Village and Shipyard at council’s Tuesday night meeting, noting Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum will remain closed, with next steps expected to be tabled at an upcoming Council meeting this month.\n\nBefore their closure in 2024, the historic sites welcomed hundreds of residents through public programming that celebrated the regions’ rich history through hosting a range of multicultural and seasonal events for community members.\n\nCouncil said an official spring opening date is yet to be announced but facility rental bookings for the Village will open Jan. 4, 2027.\n\n“Visitors can once again enjoy guided tours, school and seasonal programming, community events, a gift shop, and local vendor opportunities.”\n\nThe announcement also includes the cheerful return of Christmas at Heritage Village on Dec. 11 and 12 this holiday season.\n\nThe Heritage Shipyard, however, will not be re-opening in 2027 due to current flood mitigation work being completed on Clearwater drive. The Heritage Shipyard’s artifacts were temporarily relocated to a site downtown.\n\nSubject to completion of the flood mitigation work, the site will re-open in 2028, under the newly approved operating plan.\n\nCouncilor Kendrick Cardinal raised questions at the Tuesday meeting about the delays with the Community Services team who clarified that work is still in progress with the Fort Chipewyan community “and other levels of government to assess and preserve the collection” at the Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum.\n\nMayor Sandy Bowman expressed his gratitude to the team for all their hard work and effort.\n\nThe RMWB said “additional details about programming, tours, events, and bookings” will be shared with the community in the months to come.\n\nRelated Northern Alberta woman charged in alleged $800,000 Heritage Society fraud case\n\nRMWB takes over Fort McMurray Heritage Society as RCMP investigate missing $800,000\n\nIUmanah@postmedia.com\n\nBookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add FortMcMurrayToday.com, EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.\n\nSign up for the Fort McMurray Today newsletter here\n\nYou can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.","url":"https://edmontonjournal.com/news/fort-mcmurray-heritage-village-800000-fraud-scandal-alberta","imageUrl":"https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/edmontonjournal/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/fm-harvest8.fm_74470208.jpg","publishedAt":"2026-10-05T16:40:40.000Z","sourceLabel":"Edmonton Journal Music","tags":["Crime","Entertainment","Local News","News"],"authorName":"Itoro Umanah","contentHtml":"\"Dozens

Last week Tuesday, the RMWB council approved an operating plan that will ensure the re-opening of the Fort McMurray Heritage Village and Shipyard in spring 2027.

In a release shared last week, the RMWB said the plan “supports the long-term preservation and sharing of local history through authentic experiences, meaningful community partnerships, and storytelling that honours Indigenous traditions and perspectives, and the diverse people who have shaped Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.”

Starting in Spring 2027, the Heritage Village will welcome visitors from Monday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., until the fall season.

It comes less than a month after an individual was charged for allegedly defrauding the Fort McMurray Heritage Society (FMHS), after reports of “missing funds” and “financial irregularities” from their business accounts” were brought to the RCMP in November 2024.

The Heritage Village and Shipyard and the Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum societies were since dissolved, and all three sites remained closed to the public with their assets absorbed by the municipality to allow for investigations.

\"

Council had been looking towards developing a new operations plan and conducted site visits in March 2026 with the Alberta Museums Association (AMA), which revealed significant concerns with the current collections’ storage and preservation methods.

Janelle Fleury and Terra Brenneis, from the municipality’s Community Services, presented the proposed operating plan for the Heritage Village and Shipyard at council’s Tuesday night meeting, noting Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum will remain closed, with next steps expected to be tabled at an upcoming Council meeting this month.

Before their closure in 2024, the historic sites welcomed hundreds of residents through public programming that celebrated the regions’ rich history through hosting a range of multicultural and seasonal events for community members.

Council said an official spring opening date is yet to be announced but facility rental bookings for the Village will open Jan. 4, 2027.

“Visitors can once again enjoy guided tours, school and seasonal programming, community events, a gift shop, and local vendor opportunities.”

The announcement also includes the cheerful return of Christmas at Heritage Village on Dec. 11 and 12 this holiday season.

The Heritage Shipyard, however, will not be re-opening in 2027 due to current flood mitigation work being completed on Clearwater drive. The Heritage Shipyard’s artifacts were temporarily relocated to a site downtown.

Subject to completion of the flood mitigation work, the site will re-open in 2028, under the newly approved operating plan.

Councilor Kendrick Cardinal raised questions at the Tuesday meeting about the delays with the Community Services team who clarified that work is still in progress with the Fort Chipewyan community “and other levels of government to assess and preserve the collection” at the Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum.

Mayor Sandy Bowman expressed his gratitude to the team for all their hard work and effort.

The RMWB said “additional details about programming, tours, events, and bookings” will be shared with the community in the months to come.

Related

IUmanah@postmedia.com

Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add FortMcMurrayToday.com, EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.

Sign up for the Fort McMurray Today newsletter here

You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.

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