Photos courtesy of Lethbridge College. 

Lethbridge College has received a donation from the federal government worth almost a quarter of a million dollars.

The donation was not in cash though, it instead takes the form of a collection of 110 soil monoliths from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Lethbridge College President and CEO Paula Burns, says their practical value to students is worth far more than the monetary value.

“Certainly the value of it is priceless. We know that it’s worth a lot, but it really is priceless in terms of you can’t recreate those soil monoliths now.”

As a Crown asset, the collection required the approval of the federal Minister of Agriculture, Lawrence McAulay. The transfer was approved in January 2018 and the collection made its way to the college during the summer of 2018.

The collection is now located on the third floor of the college’s Cousins Building, just outside of the soils lab.