Charlie Fairbank says there is a renewed enthusiasm at Petrolia Discovery and he wants to be a part of it.

The owner of Fairbank Oil Fields was one of the people who created this historic site from the oil field decades ago. At the time, oilmen from across the region provided their expertise to the Discovery Foundation to keep the wells pumping, generating revenue for the operation.

But in the past few years, oilmen have not been as active in the Discovery fields out of frustration.

Now, as the foundation works to keep the site running in the wake of the death of the general manager, Fairbank has returned to provide what help he can in the oilfields.

“You can’t assess (right way) what’s going on with the infrastructure but it needs work and the buildings needs work,” says Fairbank. “It will be a challenging summer for the foundation.”

But, he says “there is an enthusiasm there that has been lacking for some time; there is a sense of positivity to move ahead.

“I will certainly do what I can to help. Many oilmen have been helping all along but it has caused such frustrating they can’t help anymore.”

“It is a fresh start and the board should look at it as a fresh start and look at things differently,” says Fairbank.

He adds he would like to see the Oil Museum of Canada in Oil Springs Museum and Discovery working together. “The Oil Springs Museum and Discovery should compliment each other…the two of them together will draw more people than each could do on its own.”