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Forth Junction
rail project
seeking
charitable status
reprinted from Red Deer
Advocate (Laura Tester) October 27, 2010
A Central Alberta
group eager to make Red Deer's railroad history into a tourist
attraction is in the final stages of applying for charitable status.
Forth Junction Heritage Society president Paul Pettypiece said he
hopes to have the application filed this week with Revenue Canada.
The society wants to become a registered charity so it can begin
fundraising for the project that's expected to take millions of
dollars in donations and government grants.
Pettypiece said the society has been increasing its public awareness
this fall so that more Central Albertans know about the project.
Last weekend, Pettypiece and several others were kept busy chatting
with visitors at the Red Deer Model Train and Model Show at
Westerner Park.
The society has several projects in mind.
One attraction would include shops, a children's theme park,
observation tower restaurant and ground transportation museum in the
heart of Riverlands, west of Taylor Drive.
Pettypiece said the society will apply for $40,000 through Alberta
Tourism so it can conduct a destination study on whether this
Riverlands attraction could work.
The society has also met with top brass at Tourism Red Deer to gauge
its interest.
A second main attraction will occur in an unidentified location
within Red Deer County. It would include replicas of several
regional railway stations for overnight lodging, a railway park and
a lookout tower.
Originally, the society was looking to build a real-life size
replica of The Chinook, a passenger train that ran from the 1930s to
the 1950s between Calgary and Edmonton. It may go on the county
parcel or next to the old Canadian Pacific Railway station near 51st
Avenue.
Pettypiece said the version has been scaled back to one-eighth the
size of the original due to cost. Now estimated at $275,000 versus
around $1 million or more. It will be able to function like a real
one where people will be able to ride in railway cars hitched
behind.
Forth Junction held its annual general meeting on Tuesday, featuring
Red Deer historian Michael Dawe as a guest speaker.
Red Deer's rail history is very important to the city, he said.
In the early 20th century, Canadian Pacific Railway made Red Deer a
divisional centre, helping to make Red Deer a much larger community
than others around it, including Blackfalds and Innisfail. The
railway was the biggest employer for years, Dawe said.
News articles about the Forth Junction Heritage Society
(more below):
News article: World-class destination centre
still in the works
(Innisfail Province Nov.2013)
Editorial: Praise today's big dream
(Innisfail Province Jan.2012)
Editorial: Railway concept captures region's uniqueness
(Olds Albertan Jan.2012)
Feature article: Forth Junction targets county
(Mountain View Gazette Dec.2011)
News article: Forth Junction pulling toward a
new station
(Red Deer Advocate Dec.2011)
News articles related to ACR/CPR Mintlaw bridge
mentioning the Forth Junction Heritage Society:
News article: Plans for Mintlaw Bridge waiting
on public feedback
(Mountain View Gazette Feb.2012)
News article: Opposition comes forward to Mintlaw Bridge preservation
(Mountain View Gazette May 2011)
News article: RD County antes up for Mintlaw
Bridge repairs
(Mountain View Gazette Nov.2010)
News article: Bridging gap between history and
disrepair
(Red Deer Advocate Nov.2010)
News article related to regional model and miniature railways
mentioning the Forth Junction Project:
News
article: Trains still roll for some
(Red Deer Advocate Nov.2012)
News articles related to historic downtown Red Deer redevelopment
mentioning the Forth Junction Project
(the original vision of the Forth Junction Heritage Society included
an attraction in the new downtown
Riverlands but this vision was modified to have one destination
close to the city and active rail line):
News article: Railyards: Open house on a
20-year plan for downtown (Red Deer Advocate June 2011)
News article: Riverlands: Strong turnout for
open house (Red Deer Advocate
March 2011)
Commentary: Red Deer could use more bold
visionary landmark designers
(Red Deer Express Sep.2010)
Michael Dawe articles related to regional railway heritage
mentioning the Forth Junction Heritage Society:
Region celebrating century of railroad
heritage
(Red Deer Express March 2010)
Mintlaw Bridge essential to region's railroad
heritage
(Red Deer Express March 2010)
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