At the start of a new year, many of us will make New Year’s resolutions, hoping to pick up a new hobby or attempt something new. Resolutions vary, but if you want to change how you move around the Region, we have an exhibit just for you! The Sooke Region Museum’s latest exhibit, Detours: Bypass the Expected, looks at the unexpected ways people move throughout the Region.
The exhibit showcases the history of transportation methods, whether by water, wheels, foot, or air and features some intriguing artifacts from the Museum’s collection. As transportation is a vast topic with many possible routes, we focused on how people moved. We dive deep into three areas of transportation: industry, commuting, and recreation.
In Detours, you can learn about a uniquely “Sooke” item, the Flowline Tricycle. This tricycle was specifically made to ride the Flowline so it could be inspected efficiently. This employed ‘hand-cycling,’ which is better for keeping balance than pedalling. So, on this trike, the arms work while the feet steer and keep you stable. The Trike on display is a fabrication of the original Flowline tricycle made by Maywell Wickheim in 2003. When you come to visit, make sure you take the Trike for a test ride!
A dugout canoe from Elder Jackie DeYaeger’s (Planes) father, Jacques Planes, is featured in Detours. The canoe was donated in September 2023 by Elder Jackie at her father’s request. This dugout canoe was part of a dowry gift to Jacques from when he married Phyllis Charles from the SC’IȺNEW First Nation in 1951. Jacques’ canoe quickly became a vessel for relationships to emerge and strengthen amongst the T’SOU-KE, SC’IȺNEW communities, and the Museum. Working closely with Elder Jackie, we share the canoe’s story through this exhibit.
In addition to objects inside the Museum, objects outside on the grounds tell stories of how people moved around the Region for industry, recreation, and commuting. For a complete experience, make sure to pick up an exhibit map. Detours: Bypass the Expected is on at the Sooke Region Museum until December 2025. Come by and learn about the creative ways people moved around the Region.
As part of our effort to encourage people to think differently about how they move around, we are happy to announce that BC Transit, an exhibit sponsor, has generously donated two monthly passes to give away! To enter the contest, you must decode a secret message in the exhibit. The contest ends on 28 February 2025. Two winners will be announced at the beginning of March.
The Sooke Region Museum & Visitor Centre thanks the following sponsors for supporting Detours: Bypass the Expected: West Coast Outdoor Adventure Rentals, West Coast Collision, West Coast Trail Express, BC Transit, and Benjamin Moore Pacific Paint Sooke. We also gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the CRD, the District of Sooke, the BC Arts Council, and the Province of British Columbia.
We look forward to seeing you at the Museum!
