<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-149e110d-7fff-eca7-ba21-4f6c2a9b93dd"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Media Release</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">For Immediate Release</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Monday July 15, 2019</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Historic Point Ellice House Re-Opens After Extensive Renovations and Upgrades</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Victoria, BC – Point Ellice House, one of Victoria’s oldest homes, is reopening to the public for the first time since the Vancouver Island Local History Society (VILHS) took over management of the site in April 2019.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">With financial support from the Province of British Columbia, the society has invested in heritage conservation measures and extensive improvements to the visitor experience at the historic house museum and gardens.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Visitors to the site will find a renovated Visitor Centre, refreshed artifact displays, a new feature exhibit space, and accessibility upgrades. “Over the last 3 months we have worked with Vancouver-based Double Dare Design and Victoria’s Edda Creative to bring visitors an updated experience. This has truly been a local project, from the design and build to the roller blinds and flooring, the Rock Bay business community has been incredibly supportive,” said society President Patrick Dunae.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The creation of a feature exhibit space allows visitors an in depth look at the stories of Point Ellice House and an opportunity to get up close with some of the over 6,000 artifacts held at the site. T</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">he first exhibit to launch in this dynamic space is Point Ellice House: Politics of Luxury. Through images, artifacts, and stories, The Politics of Luxury examines the relationships that sustained people, power, and privilege in Victoria. Visitors meet the O’Reilly family who made Point Ellice House their home for 108 years, tour the house, experience the luxury they lived in, and meet some of the working people who supported their lifestyle. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Executive Director Kelly Black noted that, “The Politics of Luxury isn’t your grandmother&#39;s historic house experience. The exhibit takes on the colonial past and examines how decisions made within these historic homes had important and sometimes devastating effects on the people of British Columbia, particularly First Nations—decisions that continue to shape the province today.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“We know that many people in Victoria have never visited Point Ellice House and we feel that these upgrades and new experiences mean there has never been a better time to visit one of the city’s best kept secrets,” said Black.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Opening weekend at Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens is Saturday July 20th and Sunday July 21st, from 12pm to 4pm. The following weekend, Point Ellice House will host Archaeology Day on Sunday July 28th. This community event will feature historical archaeology from the Gorge Waterway, family friendly activities, food and drink.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Point Ellice House is located at 2616 Pleasant Street in Vicotria’s Rock Bay neighbourhood. The house, constructed between 1861 and 1862, is among the oldest homes in the city; it was designated a National Historic Site in 1966 and became a Provincial Historic Site in 1975. The house is also listed on the City of Victoria’s heritage registry. Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens is open Saturday and Sundays, 12pm to 4pm. Admission rates and other details can be found at PointElliceHouse.com </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">-30-</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:15pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Media Contact:</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kelly Black</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Executive Director, Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mobile: 250.580.3420</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Nunito,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Email: Kelly@PointElliceHouse.com</span></p><br><br></span><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div><font color="#000000" size="4">Kelly Black, PhD</font></div><div><b><font color="#000000">Executive Director, </font><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Point Ellice House Museum &amp; Gardens</span></b></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#000000">Phone: <a href="tel:(250)%20580-3420" value="+12505803420" target="_blank">250.580.3420</a> (cell)</font></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#000000">Email: <a href="mailto:Kelly@PointElliceHouse.com" target="_blank">Kelly@PointElliceHouse.com</a></font></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#000000">Address: <span style="font-size:12.8px">2616 Pleasant Street, </span><span style="font-size:12.8px">Victoria, BC, </span><span style="font-size:12.8px">V8T 4V3</span></font></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-size:12.8px"><br></span></font></div></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#000000"><a href="http://www.Pointellicehouse.com/" style="font-size:12.8px" target="_blank">www.PointElliceHouse.com</a><br></font></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#000000"><i>Operated by the Vancouver Island Local History Society</i></font></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-size:12.8px">Lekwungen</span><span style="font-size:12.8px"> Territory</span><span style="font-size:12.8px"> [Songhees &amp; Esquimalt Nations] </span><br></font></div></div><div><font color="#000000"><span style="font-size:12.8px"><br></span></font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>