Plast Montreal Summer Visit to Spirit Lake Internment Centre

CSLC-UCC Montreal - “Plast” Montreal has organized a special visit to the Spirit Lake Internment Interpretive Centre, 375 miles north west of Montreal, coordinated by Katrusia Smolynec, educational director of “Plast” Ukrainian scouting youth organization, together with James Slobodian, chairperson of the Camp Spirit Lake Corporation (CSLC).  The three-day educational visit in mid-July for members of Plast Ukrainian scouts will also include a unique tour of early Ukrainian churches in Val d’Or and Rouyn-Noranda, a visit to a near-by gold mine and hiking in the pristine wilderness of Part Aiguebelle.  This year, Plast will be celebrating its 100th anniversary world-wide.  The visit will provide first hand experience regarding early settlement of Ukrainians is Quebec including learning about their history of the unjust internment between 1914-20 by visiting the Spirit Lake Centre, and the surrounding areas settled by Ukrainians.

CLSC continues to attract a wide-range of groups and offers tours in French, English or Ukrainian.   As James Slobodian states, “This Centre has a modern facility and we continuously develop diverse programs and find innovative ways to attract group-tours”.

On Mother’s Day, each mother was given a rose upon entry and had free admission.  They were reminded that long ago, women and children were also interned at Spirit Lake.  To facilitate family outings, picnic tables were set outside.  Special attention will also be given to Father’s Day. 

CSLC also works closely with the Handicap Association in Quebec.  Having installed an elevator directly into the museum-internment display section from outside, wheelchair accessibility is made easy. The Centre provides free entrance to each accompanying person assisting the handicapped.

Recently, sixty-five retired teachers of the Abitibi-West Regional Teacher’s Association organized a group tour to the museum.  Also, members of the Quebec Retired Nurses Association held their AGM and toured the Centre. The lower level now provides space to relax after a tour or book for the entire day by groups, and offers a much-appreciated hot buffet for visitors prepared by community volunteers. 

The Centre has visitors from many places. “We were delighted to welcome Danylo Bodnar, member of the UCC National Internment Committee from Foam Lake, Saskatchewan,” said Slobodian. He added “By seeing the facility, one has a vivid impression of the ongoing work we do and can see the impact the exhibit has on the many visitors.  In 2014, the City of Amos will be celebrating its 100th anniversary and we are working closely with them.  Because the history of Amos is directly tied with the establishment of Spirit Lake internment site, CSLC will also be part of the commemoration. During the internment years, Amos had a small population of 550, compared with over 1,200 internees and their guards at Spirit Lake.  The soon to be released French language version of the documentary film Ukrainians in Quebec 1891-1945 will be welcomed by the large francophone population concerning this history.”

Next month, additional road signs are being erected by Quebec’s Ministry of Transport, making it easy for drivers to locate the Centre from the City of Amos or from Val d’Or.  Recreational vehicles are welcomed, offering them space near the Centre for an overnight stay, surrounded by the wooden area of Spirit Lake and its rich history. Information about the Centre is included in all major tourist brochures.

The Centre took more than three years to build working closely with Andrij Hladyshevsky, chairperson of the Shevchenko Foundation, which administers the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund and gave CSLC a significant grant for the Centre’s construction.  The CFWWIRF was established by an Act of federal parliament.

For more information, visit website campspiritlake@cableamos.com or click their link to Facebook. The Spirit Lake site has also been added recently to the UCC National web site. This is the first such Internment Interpretive Centre to have opened in Canada.

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Spirit Lake Internment Interpretive Centre at La Ferme, near Amos, Quebec