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Ultimate Vision
for a partnered
heritage
transportation-themed tourism
development
 updated June 2022
(photo descriptions and credits at
bottom of page)
Purpose
- to create a unique experience that values family recreational and
cultural activity, the natural environment and the transportation
heritage of the prairies, located in Central Alberta close to
historic and current highway and railway transportation corridors,
and
- to interpret, demonstrate and display the relationship between
built and natural environment as it relates to the evolution of
surface transportation in Western Canada.
The Forth Junction visionary strategy
includes an educational heritage rail park, operated by the Forth Junction
Heritage Society, and a commercial or semi-commercial tourism zone with a transportation heritage theme,
operated a municipality, a not-for-profit
corporation, entrepreneur or land developer.
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major components are envisioned as part of this development:
Roundhouse interpretive
conference and/or
community centre
Although the developer of this feature
will determine its use, it is envisioned to be a fun, interactive, multi-function,
community and visitor landmark gathering place for various
activities including regional and community events, family events,
cultural events, entertainment, conferences and meetings as well as
transportation displays showcasing restored railway equipment and
artifacts. It could include a market, boutiques, gift shops and cafe.
If created as envisioned, it could be Western
Canada's only Community Entertainment Centre
based on
Rail, Transit & Trail Heritage. It could include some of the
following major components:
The Roundhouse Gathering Hall
large round 2- or 3-storey,
multi-functional community
gathering place and the focal point of the development and
could include:
- Indoor Turntable
- Dual Atrium Entranceway with
Water Feature
- The Classic Railway Diner/Cafe
Trains, Trails, Transit Heritage
Exhibits
featuring the role of trails, trains and transit in
the prairie
economy from 1885 extending into the future,
operated by
the Forth Junction Heritage Society, with attractors that
could include:
- Transit and
surface transportation heritage displays
- A heritage event or
market plaza
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An exhibit exploring future sustainable transportation
Observation Elevated Restaurant
either
part of the structure or in close proximity, this could be the
iconic feature of the development
overlooking the natural and built
landscape including the Forth Junction Heritage Rail Park and the
active
railway adjacent to it.
 Market & Meeting Service Centre
featuring catering, market,
boutiques, cafe, meeting spaces
Human Mobility Amusement and Activity Park
indoor year-round entertainment and education theme park
Tour depot
a transportation hub for
regional cultural and historical tours
 Railway station heritage resort
If created as envisioned with a series of
replicated railway stations that once dotted most communities in
Central Alberta, it would be Canada's
only heritage multi-railway-station cabin-style accommodation village with
a choice of up to
22 unique architectural styles. The smaller stations could be for
single family stays while the larger ones could be used as bed and breakfasts
or multi family overnight or seasonal
lodging.
The replication of several regional railway
stations for overnight lodging will be a unique experience in
Canada and create economic benefits for the region
The Railway Station Heritage and Lodging
Village is a concept that features stations that serve as both
historic representations of the variety that once existed in Central
Alberta and economic generators that help keep the development and
possibly the adjoining Forth Junction Heritage Rail Park self-sufficient.
In addition to lodging, some of the replicated stations could include some specialty uses such
as conference rooms, retail gift shops or stores, refreshments,
administration or community facilities.
Some of the stations that may be replicated include:
 - stations of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway
and branchlines:
original 1891 Red Deer CPR wood combination station and freight house (similar to Innisfail, Olds, Ponoka
and first Lacombe station); CPR standard #2 station representative
of Blackfalds, Penhold and Bowden; CPR standard #10 station
representative of Alix and the first Stettler and Camrose stations.
- stations of the Alberta Central Railway
ACR 1910 Red Deer; CPR standard #14A station at Sylvan Lake
(similar to Benalto station); CPR standard #A3 station at Rocky Mountain House
(Lochearn)
- stations of the Canadian Northern Western Railway and CNR
unique
CNR special station Red Deer;
CNoR third class station plan 29 representative of Sylvan Lake, Eckville,
Prentiss and Donalda; CNoR third class station plan 75 at Nordegg
- stations of the
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
GTP special station Mirror; GTP Type E station representative of Ardley, Delburne,
Huxley and Bashaw.
- RV
Park and Campground to complement the Railway
Station Resort
Adaptability
of
business model
The Forth Junction
Heritage Society invites developers, entrepreneurs,
philanthropists and like-minded non-profit organizations
to partner with us to realize this vision as the Society
does not and will likely not have in the future the
resources to do so on its own.
Two zone tourism model
Two separate zones,
one controlled by the
Society as an educational heritage park and the other
controlled by a commercial tourism entity. The
commercial zone could be adjacent to the
park or in the central portion of the
parcel while the non-profit park surrounds it.
Blend of park, heritage, commercial and
tourism
facilities model
A developer creates
the framework and markets the land to include a blend of
commercial and tourism facilities with rail and
transportation themes interspersed with park and
heritage facilities.
 Blend of heritage rail park and
industrial rail park
model
An industrial park
with rail facilities for businesses that need small or
limited access to the rail network with rail extension
into a heritage rail park operated by the Forth Junction
Heritage Society along with other tourism entities.
Municipal or corporate park model
A municipality or
corporation owns the land and encourages non-profit
entities including the Forth Junction
Heritage Society and entrepreneurs to provide heritage
and tourism facilities.
Multi-stakeholder village model
A historical village operated by several non-profit and
commercial entities that includes a variety of
historical interpretive facilities including an area
dedicated to rail and transportation history operated by
the Forth Junction Heritage Society.
Accommodation model
Short or long term accommodations in up to 22 different replicated
railway station designs complemented
by rail and transportation themed facilities, museums
and interpretive centers operated by the Forth Junction
Heritage Society. A campground,
RV park, hotel and conference centre could be operated
by commercial or non-profit entities.
The proposed rail park
and tourism development at
completion
 will create a unique experience that values
family recreational activity, the natural environment and the
transportation heritage of Central Alberta
in order to interpret,
demonstrate and display the relationship between built and natural environment as it relates to the evolution of ground transportation in Western Canada
combining a family-oriented non-profit rail park with
semi-commercial tourism facilities.
Inspiration for the overall rail
park and tourism development has come from several sources including Heritage Park in
Calgary, West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish BC, 3 Valley
Gap near Revelstoke BC, Cranbrook BC History Centre (formerly the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel), Exporail in Montreal, B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, MD
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 The Forth Junction Heritage Society has reviewed many
rail parks and rail museums and has taken inspiration
from several of them, some within Alberta and others
well outside.
Our desire is to not duplicate these facilities but
to learn from them to facilitate the creation of a
unique attraction with a unique combination of
facilities.
 Some excellent attractions within Alberta that we have
taken inspiration from include the Alberta Central
Railway Museum near Wetaskiwin, Innisfail Historical
Village, Alberta Prairie Rail Excursions at Stettler, Heritage Park in
Calgary, Fort Edmonton Park, the Alberta Railway Museum
north of Edmonton, Aspen Crossing at Mossleigh and Galt
Historic Railway Park south of Lethbridge.
We see these attractions complementary to our own
vision and we encourage you to visit these other great
parks.
Outside of Alberta, inspiration has come from the West
Coast Railway Heritage Park at Squamish, 3 Valley Gap
near Revelstoke, the Revelstoke Railway Museum, Canadian
Museum of Rail Travel at Cranbrook and Fort Steele in
B.C. as well as Exporail in Montreal, Winnipeg Railway
Museum, Toronto Railway Museum, B&O Railway Museum in
Baltimore, MD, EnterTrainment Junction in Cincinnati,
OH, Railraod Park Resort in Dunsmuir, CA, and San Diego
CA Model Railroad Museum.
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Photo descriptions and credits:
Header photo: CPR Red Deer station, freighthouse,
garden 1912 (Red Deer Archives P8737);
Concept plan for Forth Junction Heritage Rail Park
and complementary tourism zone (Paul Pettypiece);
Red Deer CPR roundhouse 1912 (Red Deer Archives P3907);
Stylized roundhouse at 3 Valley Gap BC (Paul Pettypiece 2014);
CPR Royal Hudson 2860 locomotive indoors at West Coast Railway
Museum (Paul Pettypiece 2016);
Seminar in Red Deer (Paul Pettypiece 2015);
Graphic of several Central Alberta railway stations (Paul Pettypiece);
Graphic of proposed railway station resort (Paul Pettypiece);
Rendering of Penhold or Blackfalds CPR early #2 station (Paul
Pettypiece);
Rendering of Rocky Mountain House/Lochearn CPR A3 station (Paul
Pettypiece);
Rendering of Red Deer downtown CNR station (Paul Pettypiece);
Rendering of Mirror GTR/CNR special type E station (Paul Pettypiece);
Concept plan for 2-3 zone rail heritage themed
development (Paul Pettypiece);
Exhibit and event building at West Coast Railway Museum (Paul
Pettypiece 2016);
Station kitchen at West Coast Railway Museum (Paul Pettypiece 2016);
Interior of stylized roundhouse at 3 Valley Gap
(Paul Pettypiece 2014);
Bowden CPR #2 station at Innisfail Historical Village (Paul
Pettypiece 2009);
Alberta Central Railway Museum near Wetaskiwin (Paul Pettypiece
2009).
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