‘Time to turn a new page’: Farm equipment museum to close next month

A roadside museum just off the Trans-Canada Highway in Manitoba is closing after more than a decade. CTV’s Harrison Shin has more.

A museum showcasing historic farm equipment east of Winnipeg will soon be closing.

Pierre Pelland, owner of the Pete’s Center Canada Heritage Museum, said the museum’s last day of operation will be Sept. 15, 2025.

The museum has been open for about 14 years, next to the Centre of Canada Park in the Rural Municipality of Taché.

“It features heritage farming equipment predating 1950. It’s my hobby, and I wanted to create something and give back to the community,” Pelland said.

He said most of the equipment was purchased at his own expense and that it is getting financially challenging to continue.

“It’s getting to a point where the new equipment—I cannot afford it for maintenance. So, it’s time to turn the page,” he said.

“In all honesty, my health is a part of it. And the next investment for this property, for me, to have it gone forward, the funding would have been a little bit hard on my circumstances,” Pelland said.

“It is sad. It bothers me in some ways, but it’s time to venture off in my next part of my life.”

After announcing the imminent closure, Pelland said he received a phone call from a woman who had visited the museum several times and who was in tears.

“It choked me up a little bit as well,” he said.

Pelland said he is hoping someone can continue the legacy of the museum.

“I offered several pieces to the Centre of Canada Park. It’s up in the air right now,” he said.

CTV News reached out to the RM of Taché if there are plans to take contents from the museum but did not hear back.

Pelland said the museum property, which is next to Highway 1, has also been the scene of different functions throughout the years.

“There’s been a lot of people who wanted to do their wedding ceremonies here, and I have opened the door to them … and I never charged anybody anything. It’s always free,” Pelland said.

“I forgot the exact name of the company, but they’ve done a couple of zombie movie stock footage here … they came here and they asked me if they can come at 2 or 3 a.m., and they brought some fog machines with coloured lights.”

Despite the closure, Pelland said the museum will be a memory he will cherish.

“I loved it. The whole process of developing and showing it to people—I love meeting all sorts of people, I love giving back to the community. But, life goes on.”