Exciting Announcement at The Cranbrook History Centre

Dr. Bob Gaines

As many local residents are aware, the area around Cranbrook is rich in fossils.  Dr. Bob Gaines drew a large crowd at the Cranbrook History Centre on the evening of Wednesday, June 15.  His lecture revolved around the Cambrian Period fossil discoveries being made in many areas of the Rockies, the Burgess Shale being one of the most famous although not the only one or necessarily the most valuable in terms of more recent scientific discoveries.  Dr. Gaines enlightened us about the exciting new and never before seen fossil discoveries being made in Kootenay Park and within our own Cranbrook area.

All fossil finds are property of the Crown.  However one local paleontologist through an agreement with the Federal Government has contributed a most significant collection to the Cranbrook History Centre.  On Wednesday evening Guy Santucci,  Museum Board Director and coordinator for much of the collaborative work around this donation, announced that Michel Plourde was the generous benefactor. The collection is considered to be so significant that The Cranbrook History Centre has received funding to set up a fossil lab with a coordinator. Many of these fossil finds make their way to The Royal Ontario Museum but it was Mr. Plourde's specific wish that this collection remain in the area from which the fossils originated.

Thank You Michel Plourde!

Guy Santucci, Michel Plourde and partner