posted 11-07-2012 04:31 PM               

The NEW Canadian Air & Space Museum

The Canadian Air & Space Museum (CASM) is a not-for-profit organization based in Toronto, Canada. For 15 years CASM has been located at Toronto's Downsview Park, in the historic de Havilland Aircraft buildings, the oldest aircraft factory in Canada. In September 2011, the buildings were designated to be repurposed and the Museum needed to find a new home.

One year later, the Canadian Air & Space Museum is pleased to confirm discussions with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) regarding the potential opening of a revitalized Museum in an outstanding new location at Lester B. Pearson International Airport which will allow for vastly improved access for residents and visitors to the Greater Toronto Area.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority, along with several airport based private businesses including Flight Solutions and Services, Partner Jet, UYJ Air & MxAerospace are together providing interim storage of the Museum's priceless artifacts and archival material while potential development opportunities at Toronto's Pearson Airport are discussed. A highly accessible location is under consideration as an ideal site for the Museum's rebirth.

No binding commitments have been made at this time. However the Museum Trustees and the GTAA are evaluating opportunities to preserve and present Toronto's aviation past which includes watershed achievements at both the Malton (now Pearson) and Downsview airports. All parties involved share a belief that Toronto's many aviation and space contributions to Canada's rich history should be presented in innovative and exciting ways for the enjoyment and educational benefit of current and future generations.

We anticipate progress towards a final agreement and are excited about the opportunity to create a vastly improved facility.
But although we have an ideal location opportunity which offers great potential for a NEW Canadian Air & Space Museum, we don't have the funds for a hangar for our many aircraft, including the WWII Lancaster Bomber and the full-scale Avro Arrow replica, or to renovate the interior of the prospective Museum building.

Canada's largest and busiest airport, Lester B. Pearson, can provide the Museum with many exciting new educational, development and preservation opportunities.

The new location under discussion is located near to the main runways at Toronto's Pearson International Airport. It is also right next to Highway 401, the busiest highway in the world.

What we need

We need your help to finance the acquisition of a hangar and to turn it into a modern facility filled with interactive exhibits that reflect the past, present and future of the air and space industry.

Specific elements of the fundraising campaign include:

• Complete the transfer of all Museum aircraft and artifacts to the new location.
  
• Purchase a hangar so the Museum can re-launch its educational program which serves 2,000 schools within a one hour bus ride of the Toronto airport.
  
• Create a home to safeguard the Museum aircraft, including the world's only full-size metal CF-105 Avro Arrow replica.
  
• Develop new educational exhibits and hands-on technology displays.
  
• Ultimately to design and build a theatre, classrooms, workshops and an exhibition gallery that can accommodate a large collection of civil and military aircraft and historic air and space artifacts.
  
• Help us educate future generations about the importance of aviation and space technology and to preserve the de Havilland aircraft archive, as well as thousands of other priceless historic artifacts from Canada's 100 years of aerospace history.

What you get

Please choose one of our Perk packages. We have a number of great items to offer as a way of saying thank you for your kind donation. Books, bumper stickers, models, rare autographed items, and if you're feeling really generous, lifetime memberships and discounts at the Museum. If you're a corporation, or a really generous individual, you can also help by picking one of our Premium perks and you will have your name permanently associated with the new Museum.