Thu Sep 19 09:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Maitland Celebrates Ship’s 150th Anniversary Amidst Uncertain Future for Museum

**Maitland, N.S.** – The community of Maitland is gearing up to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the launch of the W.D. Lawrence, the largest wooden-hulled, fully-rigged ship ever built in Canada. However, the celebration comes amidst uncertainty surrounding the future of the William D. Lawrence Museum, which is located in the former home of the ship’s builder.

The museum, operated by the Nova Scotia Museum, is currently closed for the 2024 season due to staffing shortages and declining programming. In response, the provincial government has launched a community consultation process to determine the museum’s future.

At a recent community meeting, residents were presented with options for the museum’s operation, including maintaining the current model or shifting to a community-driven approach with local involvement in staffing, programming, and finances. Residents expressed their desire for the museum’s preservation and voiced concerns regarding the province’s hiring processes, past management, and the feasibility of community ownership.

Despite the museum’s closure and the uncertainty about its future, the community is determined to celebrate the W.D. Lawrence’s legacy. A series of events throughout the year will commemorate the ship’s maiden voyage, including music performances, reenactments, teas, a scavenger hunt, and the launch of a ship replica in Cobequid Bay.

The province is working to ensure the museum is accessible for the anniversary celebrations, with hopes that the facility will reopen next summer. Janice Lockyer, president of Maitland’s Culture, Heritage and Arts society, emphasized the importance of preserving the W.D. Lawrence’s story and the contribution it made to Canadian history. “It’s a great adventure,” she said. “And so we really feel that W.D. is an interesting character and he’s not perfect by any means, but that we think that it’s fun to celebrate the real journey and all the stories of the boat.”

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