Glenaladale Estate preps for 2022 anniversary despite challenges of COVID-19

The countdown is on for the Glenaladale Heritage Trust as they get ready to celebrate a big anniversary in 2022.

That will mark 250 years since the arrival of the Glenaladale settlers on P.E.I. in 1772, one of the earliest Scottish emigrations to what would become Canada.

The current brick mansion on the Glenaladale Estate in Tracadie, P.E.I., was the private home of two families the MacDonalds and the MacKinnons.

The Glenaladale Heritage Trust Inc. purchased the 530-acre estate in 2018 and has been working to restore it ever since.

Schoolhouse renovation

The main house is being prepped for the celebrations, as is the Glenaladale schoolhouse, which has recently been moved and is now being renovated as a new cultural centre at the gateway to the property.

"The building started off as a one-room Glenaladale school in 1899, and then in 1946, they decided they needed to increase the size so they moved the school and added another room to it,"said Mary Gallant, chair of the Glenaladale Heritage Trust.

"There's a lot of people still living in the community who attended school here, so it has large significance to the community."

Gallant said the renovations to the schoolhouse are also a key element to the preparations for the 2022 celebrations.

"As a large building, a well-built building in its day obviously, it will be a great place to hold activities and functions," Gallant said.

"Have displays, educate people about the property, about the school and the history."

Celebrating ancestors

Gallant said the 250th anniversary has been a key target since the group took over the property in 2018.

"We hope we'll be able to welcome many descendants, from as far away as New Zealand and Australia,western Canada, across the States,who have expressed interest in returning here to celebrate the arrival of their ancestors," said Gallant, whose own ancestors arrived with the settlers in 1772.

"That will be a major celebration for us."

Gallant said the COVID-19 pandemic has added some extra challenges to the preparations, including the cancellation of all summer tours.

Even with COVID assistance from the federal government, Gallant said the trust is probably down $50,000 in revenue in 2020.

"There's no doubt in the summertime we welcome quite a few visitors to the house," Gallant said

"Even though the tours have been by donation, most people are quite generous. When they hear the story and the history and what we're doing, they're very supportive.

"On the plus side, it allowed us to do work in the house while it was closed up, we were able to do some of the repairs that were needed," Gallant said.

'A beacon' for visitors

Board member Wayne Corriganhas a very personal connection to the schoolhouse.

"I originally started in the school here so it brings back some very, very vivid memories to me," Corrigan said.

"The day it was moved, it was an amazing and it was quite exciting for most of the residents around this area who actually went to school here."

Corrigan is helping to oversee the restoration of the schoolhouse.

"We're hoping for it to be a very attractive building, situated where it is up on this hill overlooking the bay," Corrigan said.

"It'll be a sort of a beacon to anyone who is coming in this area, to draw them into actually partake in some of the functions that would be going on here."

'An interesting challenge'

Patrick Callbeckhas joined the Glenaladale project as a carpenter, after returning home to the Island from Montreal where he was working as a cabinet maker.

"A lot of it is going to be original, a lot of the studs in the walls, a lot of the interesting woodwork on the ceiling, we're going to try and maintain a lot of that," said Callbeck, who also has descendants who lived close by.

"But it's a difficult challenge when it comes to installing brand new windows and brand new doors and trying to make them square, but at the same time fit within the semi-crooked walls of the existing building. It's certainly an interesting challenge."

Organizers at Glenaladale are still pivoting in 2021, taking their traditional Robbie Burns festival online later in January, with virtual haggis, music and Robbie Burns recitations lined up.

But their eyes are focused clearly on 2022, and the 250th celebrations.

"It's the big celebration for Captain John, who was the original owner of the property. He brought out the settlers in 1772," Gallant said.

"It's a firm deadline for us to have things ready and fully open for 2022."

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