Support the Canadian Tank Museum's Capital Expansion!
From humble beginnings as a group of passionate Veterans and military enthusiasts the organization has grown its operations over 45 years to become an internationally recognized institution and one of the most significant military vehicle and armoured vehicle collections on the planet. This collection; archives & artifacts, and the accumulated human knowledge base that maintains it, now needs a new home and facility equal to its historical importance. The site the museum currently resides on and plans this expansion is also of the utmost significance to the story of Canadian military history. The South Field of the Oshawa Executive Airport was originally developed for the No. 20 Elementary Flying School. This was a training facility for pilots recruited in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War, and many of the original buildings have been preserved as a part of a heritage district that the museum currently maintains.
Our organization was founded by Second World War Veterans and former serving members of The Ontario Regiment RCAC. The skills and knowledge required to maintain and operate these vehicles was passed hand-to-hand, generation to generation and shared with new members; training them on the key skills to maintain and operate these vehicles and sharing stories of their experiences in the Canadian Armed Forces. In addition to the important physical artifacts; the museum is home to this historical knowledge and proud Armoured heritage. The museum is keeping the memory and stories of this service alive through interactive demonstrations, hands-on programming, and community engagement.
The new Canadian Tank Museum building will provide the facilities to both preserve the tangible artifacts of this history and provide additional programming space to educate the public and maintain a positive future outlook for the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps as a whole. Currently this collection of national and international significance is on display in an aging former aerospace administrative building that our organisation inherited in 1992.
The Museum received a commitment of support from the City of Oshawa in 2019 for our capital expansion project, and formal approval in 2022. This support is contingent on our museum breaking ground for construction before 2034. Transport Canada has approved our plans to develop the South Field campus, which is adjacent to an active municipal airport. The Museum’s operating lease has been extended until 2067, and the opportunity to renegotiate and extend the lease will remain an option.
The Museum will have approximately 10,000m² (108,000ft²) of usable area. The majority of the facility will be allocated for vehicle display and interpretation, and will include amenities such as programming & events spaces, administrative facilities, and retail sales floor space.
The team Barry Bryan Associates developed a 5 year timeline to design and construct the new building. The design phase will take approximately two and a half years to complete. The construction phase will take two years to complete. These timelines are flexible depending on the availability of funding and cooperation with municipal and regional governments.
Per a preliminary consultation provided by Barry Bryan Associates, the base cost for the new museum building will be $24.3 million dollars. To build an eco-friendly facility, the base cost will be approximately $25.1 million dollars. Additional costs (site servicing, permits, architectural design, etc.) will cost approximately $6.1 million dollars. The total cost for the new museum building will be approximately $31.2 million dollars.
We will seek to raise the necessary funds to finance the construction and continued operation of said building from three main sources: The Canadian federal government, the Ontario provincial government, and private donors/foundations. The Museum has received $5 million in commitments to this goal (16% of the total cost overall) from private donors. An additional $26.5 million will need to be raised to achieve this goal.
In telling the national story of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps and the development of mechanized & armoured warfare; the museum maintains important partnerships with armoured regiments from across the country. The new facility will be built on the backbone of these partnerships, offering a platform to tell the stories from their community in an internationally recognized and renowned institution. A true home for the history and heritage of the RCAC that represents all Regiments from sea to sea. As the museum expands, it plans to ensure representation is met from around the country to provide unique, nuanced perspectives in our exhibit curation and public programming. This was the dream of Gen F.F Worthington, father of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, and the museum intends to fulfil that role.
In telling the national story of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps and the development of mechanized & armoured warfare; the museum maintains important partnerships with armoured regiments from across the country. The new facility will be built on the backbone of these partnerships, offering a platform to tell the stories from their community in an internationally recognized and renowned institution. A true home for the history and heritage of the RCAC that represents all Regiments from sea to sea. As the museum expands, it plans to ensure representation is met from around the country to provide unique, nuanced perspectives in our exhibit curation and public programming. This was the dream of Gen F.F Worthington, father of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, and the museum intends to fulfil that role.
Fulfilling this goal ensures that we can continue to engage with our community in these meaningful ways, build partnerships that unify Canadians across our country, and continue to motivate future generations to serve their communities with the same sense of duty and honour of our predecessors. This new facility will be a celebration of our country’s past achievements, a commemoration of our collective and individual hardships, and a beacon of future growth and prosperity for our national community.
To contribute to this micro-donation campaign, please click on the link below to be redirected to our payment processing platform Bloomerang (formerly Qgiv). For more information about the Museum and its expansion plans; or to discuss larger, corporate, legacy, or ongoing donations please contact Brian Morningstar, Museum Development Officer. You can reach Brian via the following methods:
Email: brian@tankmuseum.ca
Phone: 905-728-6199 ext. 121
Mail: 1000 Stevenson Road North, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1J 5P5
“Our Capital Expansion Campaign is officially underway, and we thank all of our earliest supporters who have donated this year. Your contributions has helped lay the groundwork for our expansion. Big or small, everyone’s role plays a key part in our success. On behalf of the Canadian Tank Museum, I thank you for taking the time to consider supporting the future of our museum.”
– Brian Morningstar, Museum Development Officer
