News Releases

YORKTON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwire - June 20, 2011) - BMO Financial Group, Canada's first bank and the bank of the Western Development Museum (WDM) since 1949, today announced a $70,000 gift to the Western Development Museum theatres in Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Yorkton.

These three elegant and intimate theatres showcase WDM's newest major exhibit, the film Winning the Prairie Gamble: The Saskatchewan Story. The exhibit celebrates the province's history, innovation, achievement, and diversity.

The $70,000 gift will be given to the Museum to provide support for the three WDM theatres over five years.

"Given BMO's historic ties to the Western Development Museum, this is a natural fit for us," said Mike Darling, Vice President, Saskatchewan, BMO Bank of Montreal. "Our employees are proud to support this icon of the province's culture," added Mr. Darling.

"The Western Development Museum sincerely appreciates the generous support of BMO and looks forward to welcoming many more visitors to this new theatre experience," said David Klatt, Executive Director, Western Development Museum.

Within each city's museum, The Saskatchewan Story film exhibit invites visitors to view the province with new eyes. It offers authentic early 20^th century theatre seating for 15, complete with ornate cast iron supports - complemented by heavy velvet draperies and a decorative closed beam ceiling. Six interactive vignettes feature cowboy and cowgirl dress-up clothing outfits for children and adults.

Each exhibit screens a unique presentation that shows the breath-taking grandeur of Saskatchewan. The exhibits are accompanied by music created specially for Winning the Prairie Gamble. The province's diverse landscape and character is celebrated through two different shows based on an alphabetic theme. A third show offers a look at Saskatchewan people and places in the 1940s and 1950s captured by the camera lens of Everett Baker, a Wheat Pool worker of more than 25 years.