A Fond Farewell to Fiona!
July 31, 2026
We are bidding a heartfelt farewell to our Operations & Marketing Manager, Fiona Lane, as she steps into an exciting new chapter as the new Executive Director for the Mackin House Museum with the Coquitlam Heritage Society!
During her time with us (since July 2021), Fiona has been a vital force behind the scenes - juggling operations, elevating our marketing, and almost single-handedly keeping many of us sane. Her dedication, sharp organization, and incredible work ethic have made a lasting impact on our organization and the Rossland community.
While we are sad to see her go, we couldn’t be prouder or more excited for her. The team in Coquitlam is gaining a truly exceptional leader, and we can't wait to hear of all of the new adventures she'll inevitably get up to.
Fiona, thank you for your tireless hard work, your humour and enthusiasm, and for being such a wonderful teammate. We wish you every success in your new role!
Before she packed up her desk, we asked Fiona to share a few parting thoughts with us:
What was your favourite project in this role?
I’ve been involved in the creation of some pretty spectacular snow mazes!
“I always described this role as "a little bit of everything," and I love that variety – so it's hard to pick just one project! The community events were definitely some of my favourite days of the year. After all the planning and preparation that goes into those events, there's nothing like getting to spend Winter Carnival weekend out in the winter sunshine, enjoying it all – chatting with visitors, eating maple taffy, and watching small children in bulky snowsuits muddle their way through a snow maze!”
What is your favourite piece of Rossland's history?
“Strike that – maybe the research adventures were my favourite projects. There's always so much going on at the Museum, I could never spend as much time as I’d like on research (or event planning, or marketing content, or website updates, or grantwriting, or oral history interviews, or bookkeeping, or or or!), but the snippets of research were such a fun break from the rest of the chaos. Some of my favourites included developing a new overview page about mining in Rossland, updating the swimming pool research, and delving into the fascinating minutiae of the Red Chair construction.
2311.0107 Red Mountain and lodge, January 1958
It's cliché, but I adore the skiing history. It's fun; it's engaging; it's relatable; it's relevant. We get to collect and share so many incredible stories — through our Digital Museums Canada exhibit about ski racing, through oral history interviews about Rossland skiers, and on our website and social media posts. There’s something so personal about seeing photos or hearing stories about the same hill that you know and love!
Ultimately, they are stories about community – and I think that's my favourite motif in Rossland's history: the volunteer spirit that built the town, the ski hill, Winter Carnival, the Museum – all of those community projects that make up the town we know and love today.”
What you’ll miss most about Rossland:
“Oh jeez, well, the community. That includes my Museum community, for sure. It's been such a privilege to work with a team that's so passionate and so talented – everyone brings an awful lot to the table. Joelle is just an incredible leader and mentor. She likes to stay out of the spotlight, but she contributes so much to Rossland — building up the museum’s programs and events, bringing millions in grant money into the town, always looking at the big picture for Rossland, always prioritizing collaboration and community. I feel so fortunate to have been able to work with and learn from her.
Photo no. A2021.018.048: February 1967. I’ll miss this, too!
Rossland is home to an unbelievable number of community groups! In my work at the Museum and as part of the Tourism Rossland Board of Directors, I’ve been constantly impressed and overwhelmed by the groups and individuals putting their time and energy into making Rossland an incredible place to live and spend time. One of the best things about being part of a small museum is forging partnerships to work towards common goals for the town. Whether we’re partnering with non-profit groups like the Library, RCAC, SRRAC, the Follies, and Rotary, or working with local businesses like Flux Climbing, Kootenay Mountain Biking, and the Shovel, that teamwork and collaboration is what keeps us going — and I know I’ll miss the people and the relationships that have been part of my time here!
And can’t forget, though it goes without saying, I’ll miss the Grind’s frittata breakfast bagels!”
2276.0244: CPR Caboose on Museum grounds, circa 1992
If you could take one artifact home with you, what would it be?
“Maybe the caboose?
Luckily, the Mackin House Museum has one, too!”
And finally..
What’s the Lower Mainland attraction or spot you are visiting first:
“High on my list, I think I’ve got to check out the bike trails and find a climbing gym. Flux is such a fantastic community space — we’re just incredibly lucky to have it in Rossland! — so I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll be able to find a new space that feels like a home.
I’m also just excited to reconnoitre a new town! I moved to Rossland sight unseen five years ago, and exploring the Kootenays has been such an adventure. The Lower Mainland is brand new to me now – and although I’ll miss so many things about Rossland, I also can’t wait to discover some new favourite hikes, coffee shops, and museums!”
Thank you for everything, Fiona!