She added the Goodon Museum building has had to deal with flooding issues itself over the years. The museum committee has had to invest a lot in building repairs and remedying drainage issues on the grounds. Perkins said there has been considerable improvement there, but budget resources are limited and work on the house is beyond their means.
The log house was built by the museum’s founder Irvin Goodon. The man who started Goodon Industries in Boissevain had grown up in a cabin just like this in the Turtle Mountains, and he constructed the one behind Tommy as a historical addition to his wildlife museum. He explained it in his 2009 autobiography “Climbing – One Pole at a Time.”
“Outside in the parking lot we built a log cabin, which is a replica of the one I was raised in,” Goodon said. “It has a dirt floor, sod roof and flour bags for windows. It is filled with handmade furniture as it was back then. We cheated a wee bit as we used cement in the place of the Turtle Mountain clay between the logs and on the walls. We also put metal on the roof under the sod because we use it as a tourist attraction, and like some Metis homes, we didn’t want it to leak like the old one I lived in.”
It certainly served as an attraction, but now its time in that area is done. Perkins said the municipality has had discussions with community cultural partners about the state of the building and whether or not they would like to repair or relocate it. There were no offers to do so. However, there is still the possibility of it being used for something.
“We recognize the cultural significance of this building and believe that there is a potential opportunity there to relocate, rehabilitate, or possibly even repurpose the log house building. So the municipality currently has an RFP out for the removal of the house. Any project proponents that have plans to repurpose the building following its removal will be considered accordingly.”
Interestingly, a sod house was built on the site for the 2006 Homegrown Reunion. This was a replica of the “soddies” farm families lived in when they first settled here. This project was spearheaded by George Dyck, remembering the one built for the Jubilee in 1956. It has since come down, and the log house will join it.
The deadline for proposals was March 31.
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff