The municipality of Hinchinbrooke is planning to create a new emergency shelter space in the municipal garage located on Route 202 just outside Huntingdon. The building is shared with the Chateauguay Valley Historical Society, and it houses their archives and the Robert McGee collection as well as an extensive inventory of their annual historical journal, and the physical and electronic archives of The Gleaner.
Hinchinbrooke director general Adam Antonopoulos says the shelter was originally located at the town hall in Herdman, but the building is not wheelchair-accessible, and its size is limiting. As a result, the CVHS has been asked to liberate some space.
In order to comply, the CVHS is reducing its journal inventory by offering free copies of certain years to members until July 15. “We have 300 copies of some of them,” says CVHS president. Ken Dolphin. “We are just giving them back,” he explains, noting it is the members who fund the creation of the annual journals.
Copies of Robert Sellar’s The History of the County of Huntingdon and the Seignories of Chateauguay & Beauharnois, as well as Robert Hill’s book, Pioneer Journalism in the Chateauguay Valley, are also available to purchase.
Volunteer members have been at the site sorting the journals and generally helping to clear space. The office is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon. Members can notify the CVHS of their interest in the journals or books by reaching out to the organization at contact@cvhs.ca. (SR)
