Trmf letter to mayor mcpherson july 26, 2017

TUMBLER RIDGE MUSEUM FOUNDATION

Box 1348 Tumbler Ridge, BC V0C 2W0 www.trmf.ca

Registered charity number 863295853 RR0001

phone

(250) 242 3466

Under the distinguished patronage of Her Honour The Honourable Judith Guichon Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia

26 July 2017 Dear Mayor McPherson I always appreciate an opportunity to present you and Council and staff with a summary of TRMF activities and goals. Your letter of 13 July presents me with another such opportunity. I convey warm regards from our President, Jim Kincaid, who has asked me to take over temporarily as Acting President.

In responding to your letter, the first thing I would like to do is to recognize the common ground that we share in the two major areas your letter alludes to: 1) The critical importance of the Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark (TRUGG) re-evaluation in 2018 and how we all need to work together to ensure the maximum chances of success.

2) The importance of avoiding duplication and competition between the activities of TRMF and TRUGG. I will try to break the issues you have raised into categories, providing concrete examples where possible, and I hope that this approach will deal with all your concerns. If there is anything that you feel I have not addressed, please let me know and I will do my best to provide further details.

1) Relationship between TRMF and TRUGG Your letter states that the TRMF has withdrawn its support for the TRUGG. I need to stress that this is not the case and has never been the case. As your letter acknowledges, the TRMF was the prime reason that the TRUGG came into existence, and it is unthinkable that we would not continue to support this organization, celebrate its achievements, and continually strive to make it as successful as possible, with particular reference to the 2018 UNESCO re-evaluation process. I should mention that while TRMF took the lead in bringing the Global Geopark idea to fruition, the contribution of the Wolverine Nordic and Mountain Society (WNMS) through its volunteers was also considerable.

The best way for me to explain the ongoing support of TRMF to the TRUGG is through concrete examples: a)

Tumbler Ridge as a unique conference destination: We believe that Tumbler Ridge is ideally placed to be a uniquely attractive conference destination, using in particular the presence of the Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre (PRPRC) and Dinosaur Discovery Gallery (DDG), and the Geopark attractions. We have therefore worked in 2017 to develop this concept, which has direct benefits on tourism and economic development. While smaller groups have also chosen to hold events at the DDG, we have hosted three major conference events: the 3D medical conference, the annual conference of the British Columbia Field Ornithologists (BCFO), and the BC Community Forest Association. In the case of the 3D conference the entire event was hosted by the TRMF, while for the other two the initial welcome reception was hosted by the TRMF.

The “3D” conference was an abbreviation for “Drugs, Dinos and Dinner” and was probably the biggest medical conference ever held in the Peace Region (45 participants). Educational seminars for physicians, pharmacists and nurses alternated with these delegates rotating through four areas: the DDG, the collections area, the photogrammetry area and the preparation laboratory. At these stations

they enjoyed interactive sessions with PRPRC scientists and staff: Dr. McCrea, Dr. Buckley, Ms. Tammy Pigeon and Ms. Debbie Gainor. Field trips to the Wolverine and Cabin Pool tracksites followed. There was no registration fee for the conference. Funding was found by the Tumbler Ridge physicians for bringing the speakers from Vancouver and for the dinner, TR Cares assisted with accommodation costs for the medical residents who attended, and the following morning was „payback‟, when these residents helped clear the deadfall off the hiking trails with the goal of helping the TRUGG. Remarkably positive feedback was obtained. The most interesting way to understand just how successful this was is to watch the video that was made to celebrate it: https://youtu.be/5ueBvCqBBuY I have shared this with your staff (asking them to consider using it to promote the community and to attract other conferences) and the TRUGG (offering it as a tool that could be used for the 2018 re-evaluation). In summary, this was a globally unique medical conference thanks to the TRMF‟s involvement.

No less successful was the BCFO conference, which attracted 80 delegates from across the province.

Among the reasons for the BCFO choosing Tumbler Ridge were the scientific work done by Dr. Buckley and Dr. McCrea on fossil bird tracks and on dinosaurs with the resulting exhibits in the DDG and the potential for field trips to dinosaur sites, and second for the opportunity to see the meeting point for eastern and western birds for which our area is renowned (a fantastic total of 116 species was identified despite challenging weather conditions). Also significant in the BCFO decision to choose Tumbler Ridge was the work our scientists and I have done with the scientists of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at UBC and the interpretive signage we have installed at the Quality Falls trailhead celebrating their ornithological research in our area. Again, delegates were treated to tours of our facility by our palaeontologists and staff, Dr. Buckley gave an excellent presentation on her palaeo-ornithological research, and I gave a talk celebrating the TRUGG at the evening banquet. The comments received from delegates were that they were overwhelmed by the uniqueness of what they had experienced, and that they will be coming back for longer stays.

Mr. Kincaid was more involved than I was in the BC Community Forest Association event, but I was able to attend the opening event, and it was a joy to see over 100 delegates filling our facility, and hearing the positive comments from the speakers, including yourself.

We have been approached to assist in various ways with the Coal and Energy Forum to be held in September, and it will be our privilege to do so and to contribute to this event. I am looking forward to being your evening speaker on the Geopark at this event. b) Provincial Stop of Interest sign: Earlier this year the provincial government announced that 75 new Stop of Interest signs would be installed across the province, and that proposals were welcome. When we heard about this project, we started working on developing proposals, and at this time also received a request from Ms. Sarah Waters (Executive Director for the TRUGG) asking us to consider doing this. Well over 500 proposals were received. We submitted five such proposals, knowing that we would be lucky if even one were accepted. Fortunately, the proposal about the two young boys who correctly identified dinosaur tracks in Flatbed Creek in 2000 was accepted, and a beautiful sign was installed by Ministry of Highways at the trailhead two weeks ago and is due for unveiling. This sign will form a great addition to the Tumbler Ridge visitor experience, and reinforces the importance of this historic fossil site within the TRUGG. With WNMS we have replaced the uncomfortable first three metres of trail with a series of four wide steps, which enhance the ambience of the site. c)

Further stops of interest: The four proposals that were not accepted were about the 1914 Fay expedition, the 1937-1939 Monkman Pass project, the historic Flatbed Creek tree carving, and BC‟s first dinosaur dig on Quality Creek in the early 2000s. The work has already been done for these sign proposals, and we are now working on developing and installing them in partnership with BC Rec Sites and Trails, WNMS, First Nations, DTR and TRUGG. For three of these signs we need to work with BC Rec Sites & Trails: Bullmoose Marshes trailhead for the Fay signs, Stony Lake for the Monkman Pass sign, and Quality Falls trailhead for the dinosaur dig sign. For the Flatbed Creek tree carving sign we would like to work with First Nations groups and with

DTR, and will be approaching you soon to ask for your support. In all four cases we will not be constrained by limits on how much text we can supply, and will be able to add photos. For all four of these projects we will ask for TRUGG endorsement and use of brand, trusting that such initiatives will further increase the chances of successful 2018 re-evaluation. d) Initial discovery site viewpoint and sign: Mr. Thomas Clark, who serves on the boards of WNMS, TRMF and TRUGG, made a proposal at the recent TRMF Board of Directors meeting for appropriate celebration of the pivotal moment of the initial 2000 dinosaur trackway discovery by local boys. Our palaeontologists have worked on text for this sign, which has been endorsed by TRUGG and incorporates the DTR/TRUGG brand, and the concept has been approved by BC Rec Sites and Trails. We have prepared a viewing area for this sign across the creek from the discovery site, and will be installing the sign and a viewing bench in the very near future. e)

Tyrannosaur skull discovery: The recent discovery of BC‟s first known dinosaur skull (a tyrannosaur), and resulting media release generated a huge amount of attention. There is an irony in that it lay just three metres off the TR Trail at the Lions Campground, yet had eluded attention since being placed there by heavy equipment in 2010. We were sorry that out efforts to contact you to assist in its recovery were unsuccessful, but pleased that we could find Councillor Kirby and that she could be present. The skull is currently being researched and prepared by our scientists – this will include efforts to find out how much more of the skull lies hidden within this rock. Once the research is done, the skull will form the focus of an exhibit in the DDG and will likely form a feature attraction along with the tyrannosaur trackways. Since the discovery, we have been gratified by the assistance of DTR employee Mr. Doug Beale, who helped put us in contact with the people who could tell us where the rock came from. Furthermore, we are working with your staff on the imminent installation of a 6 ft x 4 ft sign at the discovery site, which will enhance the Lions Campground (we have support from Lions Club in this endeavour). I have received approval from Mr. Jordan Wall for this project, and we are partnering with WNMS for funding support. Given that the DTR / TRUGG brand features a theropod skull, the importance of this discovery and the scientific work which will allow it to be described and exhibited cannot be overstated, with the potential for exemplary co-operation between TRMF, TRUGG and DTR.

f)

Tyrannosaur footprint field exhibit: Remarkably, a partial tyrannosaur footprint was found by Dr. McCrea just metres from the skull site. This footprint will be retrieved by Mr. Beale‟s staff once the necessary equipment is available, and will be placed on a gravel surface beside the sign celebrating the skull discovery. Fifteen tyrannosaur footprints are now known globally, of which 10 are from within our Geopark.

g) Upcoming media release: Furthermore, Dr. McCrea and Dr. Buckley made another important discovery in the same area. Mr. Beale has promised support in retrieving this rock and bringing it to the PRPRC. For this event we plan to invite you and jointly prepare a small media release with you, and to ask for a quote of support from the TRUGG. I know you understand that I cannot provide specifics at this point, but ask you simply to share in the excitement that once again thanks to our palaeontologists we will be able to get the message out on how unique we are, and will bring credit to our institution, community and Geopark. h) NatureWild magazine: In 2016 I was the keynote speaker on the Geopark at the BC Nature AGM in Prince George. As a result of this presentation I was asked as an author to contribute an article for a four-page centrepiece for NatureWild, the nature magazine for kids in BC in the 7-10 age category. I approached Dr. McCrea and Dr. Buckley for scientific review of what I wrote, and the result was that this article was published earlier this year, distributed to schools, etc. The opportunity then became available to print multiple copies of just the four pages, to be available to promote tourism and kids‟ education for residents and visitors to Tumbler Ridge. Working with the TRUGG, I managed to secure funding from Conuma Coal, and we were able to do an initial print run of 2,300; these are now available at the Visitor Centre and DDG, and help fill an educational niche for kids. The four-page feature is mostly about the dinosaurs of the TRUGG, but

also features other Geopark attractions and explains what a Geopark is. To me this is a perfect example of collaboration between TRMF and TRUGG i)

The Flatbed Creek Peat Site field exhibit and brochure: Towards the end of 2016 we developed this field exhibit on a spur trail we built in collaboration with WNMS off the Flatbed Pools Trail.

This celebrates the scientific research done by the University of Victoria at the site, which is the finest known example of its kind in the Peace Region, and which provides a window onto the rapid vegetation changes that occurred in response to climate change about 12,000 years ago. This is nicely complementary to the 95 million year old dinosaur tracks which are to be found on the same trail. This year we installed directional signage to the site and have developed a brochure for visitors, to be made available at the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery and Visitor Centre and on the TRMF website. Again, TRUGG support gets requested for its logo to be added. This initiative is of particular importance to the TRUGG re-evaluation process because one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network recommendations to TRUGG was for interpretation to be developed on climate change.

j)

Health in Geoparks project, and promotion of universal accessibility: I have been involved with Councillor Scott and the Building Healthy Communities Committee in developing a proposal for $30,000 to benefit the Geopark in three main ways: development of the four Health in Geoparks modules, enhancement of the trail system to promote universal access, and acquisition of two TrailRiders that would allow access to many more of the trails. The TRMF is a partner in this project, and using the TrailRider to enable universal access to the dinosaur tracks at Cabin Pool is a major initial goal. This fits in well with the renovations currently being made to the DDG to enable universal access – these will form further positive points to mention at 2018 re-evaluation.

In addition, the work of the TRMF and its scientists and their research was critical in enabling the Health in Geoparks modules to be developed. Putting these ideas into practice will give the TRUGG the opportunity to have an influence on health and well-being at a global level; the comments received from UNESCO show their appreciation for our efforts. This project will increase our chances of successful re-evaluation.

k) Collaboration with First Nations: We continue to work closely with First Nations, including Treaty 8 Tribal Association. Some of this work involves potential archaeological sites which have been identified, and in collaboration with the archaeologists they work with. Other work relates to the Six Peaks Dinosaur Track Site near Hudson‟s Hope. These are outside the Geopark boundary, and thus beyond the purview of TRUGG, but given the UNESCO GGN‟s position on the value of Indigenous culture and resulting partnerships, our continuing excellent relationship with Treaty 8 Tribal Association can only be of benefit to the 2018 re-evaluation. l)

Collaboration with BC Parks: We have partnered with WNMS in its recently completed 3 year initiative with BC Parks involving the PEF (Parks Enhancement Fund). The result is that trails have been upgraded, and interpretive signage installed in all the provincial parks that fall within the Geopark. As a result the parks are now worthy of being shown off to UNESCO GGN in 2018, a situation we were not comfortable with previously. Our role has been to provide the essential historical and scientific research that allowed for the development of good interpretive signage.

We are delighted to note that WNMS has been nominated as BC Parks Volunteer Organization of the Year for 2017 as a result of this work. In addition, we are approaching BC Parks about a project for 2018 for hikers: the opening of a 700 metre segment of the old Monkman Pass highway that falls within Monkman Provincial Park.

m) Geographical names project: We are working on a submission to the provincial Geographical Names Unit for the addition of an historic name to an officially unnamed mountain near Holzworth Meadows. This name was applied in the 1960s by the first geologists to identify the significance of the coal deposits what would become the Bullmoose Mine. Connecting this item of geological history to the TRUGG is another example of the kind of initiative that UNESCO GGN will be looking for in its 2018 assessment.

n) 2017 field season: In addition to the dinosaur skull discovery mentioned above, the 2017 palaeontological field season is off to an excellent start. One outstanding site which is currently being studied, and which will soon be the subject of a scientific paper, is just outside the Geopark boundary. In the same area but closer to a highway are some dinosaur footprints with excellent features. The collaboration we have developed with Caribou Road Services in terms of bringing these specimens in to the PRPRC can serve the TRUGG well as another example of constructive support from regional industry. But in addition to this site, there have been unexpected and impressive new discoveries within the Geopark boundary. As you know, we do not divulge these localities while they are under research, but you can anticipate further press releases and scientific papers which will have a positive impact for Tumbler Ridge and the TRUGG. Thanks to Mr. Doug Beale, our scientists were able to track down the quarry where the tyrannosaur skull came from, and found fragments of bone from one or more large theropods. o) Proposed exhibits: In the medium term, a new exhibit is planned in the museum, showcasing rocks from Canada and from within the Geopark with respect to their fluorescent properties. A special booth will need to be constructed for this project, but this is within our capabilities. And a further geological interpretive site is planned in collaboration with WNMS and BC Rec Sites & Trails. As always, this will be submitted to TRUGG for approval to use the DTR/TRUGG brand. p) IOC conference in 2018: In the longer term, the International Ornithology Conference is being held in Vancouver in 2018, and will attract thousands of delegates from across the world. Field trips will be offered after the conference and Tumbler Ridge and was the site of the first such chosen field trip. The reason for this is the research done by Dr. Buckley and Dr. McCrea on palaeo-ornithology in the region, and the resulting exhibits in the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery featuring fossil bird tracks, along with the tours that TRMF guides will be offering to the dinosaur footprint sites. I expect that Dr. Buckley will be approached to give a talk on her research to these delegates. I have already discussed with the organizers of this field trip how it would be combined with a celebration of the TRUGG and its other geosites, and have informed the TRUGG of this exciting opportunity. This is another example of the outstanding research done within Tumbler Ridge that promotes good things for the community and enhances tourism. The fact that we will be preparing for this at the time of the UNESCO GGN re-evaluation gives it added importance. q) PRPRC scientific papers: Multiple scientific papers are in various stages of preparation, submission, peer review and publication. These papers by our actively researching geoscientists in the Geopark give the TRUGG the scientific credibility it requires. The benefit to TRUGG is therefore enormous of being able to promote, cherish and celebrate with UNESCO GGN the achievements of the research institution within its boundaries. r)

Upgrading of interpretive signage: I led the task from 2014-2016 of designing and installing interpretative signage on the trails to geosites, with the support of the TRMF scientists and other scientific advisors to the TRUGG. The need for this was identified to me as a fundamental priority

by GGN during their 2014 visit here and immediately after Global Geopark designation was attained. UNESCO GGN now requires that all interpretive signage carry the UNESCO GGN logo, and this means that all 200 signs need to have this added. I promised the TRUGG that I would do this. It obviously requires that all these trails and signs get visited, so as to add the necessary decals. I am pleased to report that this process is almost complete. I would like to acknowledge the support of Mr. and Mrs. Sharman and Mr. and Mrs. Booker in helping me with this decal project.

2) The need to avoid competition between TRMF and TRUGG in such areas as education, programming and marketing: In the early days of the Geopark, a basic understanding was established that the museum would look after science, education and tour programming, and the Geopark would look after marketing. Our opinion is that this should be interpreted more as a guideline than a firm rule. Even though marketing does not form part of its budget, there may well be instances where the TRMF works on marketing (the video on the 3D

conference is one example) and there could be instances where the TRUGG can offer different programs and educational activities compared with those of the TRMF. A good starting point would be for the TRUGG to find out early in the year which programs the TRMF will be offering, and to see if and where complementary programs could be offered.

We share with you the feeling that we would like to offer more education opportunities, noting that our successful Dinosaur Camps in the past served as a template for programs for other museums such as the Royal Tyrrell Museum . A big reason for our current challenges, despite the best efforts of our Education Co-ordinator, Ms. Debbie Gainor, lies in the timing of your funding allocation to us. It is DTR funds that go towards our educational programs. In 2017 we only heard in late June that we would be receiving any funding at all from DTR. By this time it is impossible to hire summer students or employees with the necessary qualifications and skills, or plan and advertise for these camps, as this should start in the previous fall. This year alone we could have had seven Canada Summer Jobs positions and two Young Canada Works positions, but had to forego all but two of these because of uncertainty about DTR funding. We desperately want to find a solution with you to this in future. The example you have provided to the TRUGG in your discussions about assuring them in advance of the amount of future funding they will receive, is precisely what we have been requesting for many years, but have not received in spite of a three year contract with the District designed to avoid this very situation. If you are able to extend a similar promise to us, we will certainly be able to achieve our potential for education. For 2017, we are grateful to have Ms. Gainor leading educational programs, gallery hosts who conduct look after the front desk and guide visitors through the DDG, and an experienced tour guide. We will also be seeking funding to create a new website. I have been encouraged by the intimations from you and Councillor Kirby in our discussions that in future Council may prefer funding to TRMF and TRUGG to be more hands-off and in the form of line items rather than active management. This would be more in line with the PRRD approach, and would be consistent with what we have been requesting of you.

3) Focus on science: Ever since our inception as a non-profit society, quality research has been a priority – never the only priority, but always an important priority as it is the foundation of our exhibits and programs and is what has allowed us (and the TRUGG) to enjoy a high public and media profile. The quality of work done in our institution, and the resulting respect and high profile it enjoys, were the critical factors that made a Geopark in Tumbler Ridge became possible. Simply stated: “no science, no Geopark”. The current projects that Dr. McCrea and Dr. Buckley are working on and acquiring funding for will take the PRPRC and the reputation of Tumbler Ridge as an international centre of excellence to even greater heights. One current example is the 3D Model Archive known as AVID (Accessible Vertebrate Ichnology Database)., which is being funded through BC 150. The science we do should continue also to form a foundation of the TRUGG and should dramatically improve re-evaluation prospects. UNESCO GGN makes it clear how one of the core values of Geoparks is celebration of earth science including palaeontology. I recognize that the fact that we are so proud of our scientists and the outstanding research that they have delivered has caused challenges for our relationship with you over the years. (In contrast, the PRRD‟s contribution to the PRPRC‟s operational budget was secured due to the research aspect, and this support was given for a four-year term with no conditions.) I can reassure you that we always balance the priority of scientific research with our other priorities, for the greater good of the community and the region. The DDG is one example of the priority of converting the scientific research into exhibits, which we are now being obliged to extend into outdoor exhibits due to space constraints. It is worth noting that the DDG and these exhibits were developed at a fraction of the cost of similar facilities elsewhere in Canada, and predominantly with external funding secured primarily by our scientists. One of the requirementss for a UNESCO Global Geopark is to have geoscientists such as Dr. Buckley and Dr. McCrea actively working (researching and publishing) within it, and it is our privilege to encourage the TRUGG to make use of the contributions of our scientists in order to meet this requirement.

4) Support for tourism:

As the person that led the charge by TRMF for the creation of the Geopark, I don‟t understand how the organization that spawned the Geopark can be accused of not supporting tourism. Many of the items in the list of TRMF activities provided in this letter have direct or indirect benefits for tourism. Visitation numbers to the DDG are solid, the DDG provides an excellent attraction for visitors to town, encouraging them to spend more time here, and the renovation project which is in progress (with external funding) is designed to enhance the appearance, accessibilty and potential of the facility for tourism. With more funding we could obviously do more, but we are comfortable with our historic and current role of promoting economic diversification through tourism and the Geopark. It is also worth noting that now, when the tourism initiatives that we have created have been so successful, it is easy to be in favour of tourism. In the beginning, when we were the pioneers in this field, it took a lot more to convince others of the potential of tourism.

We are working with Susan Hunter, the Executive Director for the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum near Grande Prairie, about promoting each other‟s attractions. In addition, Dr. McCrea and Dr. Buckley have conceived and led the initiative with Grande Cache, Hudson‟s Hope and the Yukon to create a Northern Dinosaur Trail for tourists. This is a large cross-border tourism vision (BC, Alberta, Yukon) that will require collaboration with DTR and TRUGG and other levels of government.

5) Working with provincial government, Royal BC Museum and JTST: The comments on these issues in your letter are of concern to me, as we have worked well in the past with the Royal BC Museum on many projects. If you can please provide me with documents to substantiate these assertions, then I can deal with them and reassure all concerned about our intentions and common goals. This process began with TRMF approaching you and asking for your help in approaching the provincial government to provide annual matching museum funding for the DTR funding and PRRD funding. As we agreed when we met in person recently, perhaps the best is simply to sit down again, try to learn from what may have gone wrong in this process, and start afresh. The fact that we would be dealing with a new government potentially opens up new opportunities, and, as I suggested to you, the possibility of a joint delegation to Victoria could be considered.

6) A way ahead: I have never wavered from my belief that the best model for the success of the TRUGG has the twin pillars of the TRMF/PRPRC and WNMS as its anchors or „legs‟, buttressed by the support of DTR and other organizations and operators. I have concerns on reading your letter to me, as for the DTR to withdraw future funding from the TRMF would amount to cutting off one of the legs of the TRUGG. If we can agree on the importance of working together towards successful re-evaluation of the TRUGG in 2018, then we need to avoid considering actions like this which will jeopardize those chances of success. I hope I have addressed your concerns sufficiently in this letter and in our conversations to allow you to pursue a different approach.

I also think it is important that your Councillors and staff are aware of the discussions that you and I have been having over the past few months, the goal being a meeting between yourself, myself and Ms. Roxanne Gulick, the President of the TRUGG, to address the issues that surfaced at the 2017 TRUGG AGM. You informed me that you had to get Council approval in order to arrange such a meeting, and at the TRMF Board of Directors meeting of June 27th I learned from you that Council had not approved you taking on this task. I then took the lead, and arranged with Ms. Gulick to meet and to invite you to this meeting, something you felt comfortable doing provided I initiated it. The meeting was held on Tuesday July11 th. I enjoyed that meeting with you, as well as the subsequent meeting we had on July 13 th, and a meeting I initiated with Councillor Kirby on the same day. I mention this simply to highlight the role I have taken to bring people together and promote co-operation over the past few months. As TRMF Acting President I have already taken active steps to build further bridges with the Board of Directors of the TRUGG, including a letter suggesting ways in which co-operation could be enhanced. I can assure you that I will try continue to promote the level of co-operation that we all desire.

While this written response to your letter is necessary, I have appreciated our face-to-face conversations, and the opportunities they presented to correct any misunderstandings that had developed between us and to resolve the issues mentioned in your letter.

I was a founder of WNMS, a founder of TRMF and a founder of the Tumbler Ridge Aspiring Geopark. The successes of all three organizations have been way beyond what I could ever have contemplated at the time they were formed. This is a source of enormous pride and fulfilment. The biggest regret and frustration I have had, as I have worked as a volunteer for these three organizations, has been the periodic disagreements and divisions that have seemed to crop up between DTR and TRMF. I often think of ways to address this and prevent future recurrences. On one previous occasion it was because your consultants were advising you that the idea we had of pushing for a Global Geopark was crazy and that we had no chance of success and should not be supported. Somehow at that point we managed to believe in each other and work together, and I hope that that same kind of mutual respect and co-operation will take place now.

When we met I asked you for specific suggestions on how we could work well together. You pointed out that the TRMF palaeontologists had made presentations to District of Hudson‟s Hope, PRRD and Treaty 8 Tribal Association, but had not made a presentation to yourself and Council for a long time. We would like to invite you and your Councillors and staff again to our facility, give you an updated tour of the DDG and PRPRC, and then answer your questions in an informal setting. Please would you consider this letter as such an invitation, at a time of your convenience. I would also like to suggest informal monthly meetings between us as one way of ensuring that there are no misunderstandings. If a more formal approach is considered, then we could reconstitute of the Museum Development I am in the privileged position of having worked with many wonderful volunteers in WNMS, TRMF and TRUGG in Tumbler Ridge over the past years. I wish they could all be officially rewarded for their dedication and passion. While I am currently working on award nominations for some further deserving individuals, I can report with satisfaction that the first four nominations I submitted were all successful: - Mr. Jim Kincaid received the BC Community Achievement Award in 2016 - Ms. Birgit Sharman received the BC Community Achievement Award in 2017 - Mr. Larry White was the first recipient in north-eastern BC of the BC Medal for Good Citizenship in 2017.

- Mrs. Patsy Antle received the Sovereign Medal for Volunteers from the Governor General in 2017.

These are in addition to the successful “Museums in Motion” nomination I submitted previously to the BC Museums Association for Dr. McCrea, and the many other awards that Dr. McCrea and Dr. Buckley have received for their work. These nominations reflected the outstanding efforts of these individuals for their varying roles in WNMS, TRMF and TRUGG. I think that the recognition and honour accorded to them by these provincial and national authorities gives us a model to follow in how we should respect and treat each other, and work together for the benefit of the community we serve in our various ways.

In summary, I believe you are in the fortunate position of having in TRUGG, TRMF and WNMS three great independent volunteer-driven organizations in Tumbler Ridge, which have significant differences in role, scope and responsibility, but with complementary attributes that together can give you a vision of a bright, diversified future for our community and region. I assure you of my personal commitment to continue realizing the great goals we have in common.

I am cc‟ing the Peace River Regional District, MLA Mike Bernier and the TRUGG, as you cc‟ed them in your message to me. I have asked to attend your August 14th meeting as a delegation, so that I can address you and Council in person and respond to questions.

Sincerely Dr Charles Helm, Acting President, Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation