What would Halloween be without a post about frightening things to do in Alberta? I’m taking a different spin on the scary season however and writing about Alberta ghost towns.
The Ghost Towns of Alberta website gives a comprehensive overview of many abandoned or slowly-dying towns.
The ghastly thing about many abandoned towns is that they were once thriving centres. A great many are old coal-mining towns such as Anthracite, Bankhead, Nacmine and Cadomin. Others like Bezanson City were abandoned because the railway never made it to the community or because of drought like Travers or Grantham.
Ghost towns appeal to me because I imagine what life was like when these towns were bustling and busy places. The bigger draw is the chance to photograph the remaining buildings without pesky people getting in the way.
Some ghost towns have restored or maintained many buildings and open their doors to the public. In Rowley, tourists can visit the Railway Museum, Prairie School Museum, Sam’s Saloon, Bank, and Pool Hall and in Wayne, visitors can still have a drink in the hotel’s Last Chance Saloon.
So this year, overcome your fears and explore Alberta’s ghost towns.
Showing posts with label southern Alberta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label southern Alberta. Show all posts
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Southern Alberta's Historic Windpower Interpretive Centre
I grew up in central Alberta where windmills aren’t a common sight, so they are a novelty to me. On a recent trip through southern Alberta where hundreds of windmills once dotted the landscape, I visited the Historic Windpower Interpretive Centre in the tiny village of Etzikom. The centre has dozens of windmills all in one place!
A paved walking path guides you through the grounds and past a variety of windmills that were manufactured in Canada and the U.S. from the late 1800s to mid 1900s. There are more types of windmills than I imagined. There’s even a vaneless windmill. I didn’t think such a thing was possible.
A paved walking path guides you through the grounds and past a variety of windmills that were manufactured in Canada and the U.S. from the late 1800s to mid 1900s. There are more types of windmills than I imagined. There’s even a vaneless windmill. I didn’t think such a thing was possible.
On the prairies, windmills were used for many purposes – pumping water to fill steam locomotives or supply farms, grinding grain and powering other types of machinery. Plaques along the path relate the history of the various types of windmills and explain the science behind them.
Whether you want to learn about windmill history in Alberta or just look at pretty windmills, the Historic Windpower Interpretive Centre is worth a visit.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Park It
July 17 is Canada Parks Day and that got me thinking about Alberta’s many parks. Alberta has hundreds of parks and wilderness areas representing diverse landscapes and offering a variety of activities for people to enjoy.
The jaw-dropping scenery in Alberta’s wild spaces is a big attraction. Mountains, foothills, forests, grasslands, and strange rock formations – Alberta has it all. Even sand dunes! On the eastern side of the province is the Wainwright Dunes and in the northeast corner is the Athabasca Dunes Ecological Reserve which is part of the largest active sand dune system in Alberta.
Alberta’s lakes, reservoirs and rivers provide prime water sport opportunities. Wabumun Lake, Cold Lake and Waterton Reservoir are known for sailing and the province’s waterways provide a variety of boating, canoeing and kayaking routes. Many of Alberta’s lakes and rivers have outstanding fishing. Bow Valley Provincial Park has world-renowned trout fishing and the Oldman River and Kootenay Plains Provincial Recreation Areas contain over 30 species of fish. Alberta’s many lakes also mean many beaches. Two of the best are the beach at Sylvan Lake and Devonshire Beach on Lesser Slave Lake where they hold the annual Alberta Open Sandsculpture Championships.
Parks all over the province offer an endless variety of hiking trails. From meandering rivers and prairie that seems to go on forever, to forests that blanket much of the province, to mountain views and waterfalls, Alberta’s trails pass through all kinds of terrain and offer activity levels ranging from easy to more challenging.
Alberta’s parks are also home to an abundance of wildlife. Northern Alberta is known for amazing bird watching opportunities. Of the approximately 330 bird species in Alberta, 224 have been seen in Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park, the threatened Trumpeter Swan can be found in Saskatoon Island Provincial Park and tiny songbirds migrate through the area around Lesser Slave Lake. Parks in the mountains, foothills, and prairies offer the chance to spy larger animals like bears, moose and cougars.
History can also be explored in Alberta’s parks. Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park contains hundreds of Aboriginal pictographs (paintings) and petroglyphs (carvings) and Dinosaur Provincial Park allows visitors to hike to world-famous dinosaur bonebeds and even participate in an authentic fossil dig.
When you want to escape to nature, where do you go? What are your favourite Alberta parks and wilderness areas? What is your favourite activity to do in Alberta’s parks? Let me know by making a comment at the bottom of the post.
The jaw-dropping scenery in Alberta’s wild spaces is a big attraction. Mountains, foothills, forests, grasslands, and strange rock formations – Alberta has it all. Even sand dunes! On the eastern side of the province is the Wainwright Dunes and in the northeast corner is the Athabasca Dunes Ecological Reserve which is part of the largest active sand dune system in Alberta.
Alberta’s lakes, reservoirs and rivers provide prime water sport opportunities. Wabumun Lake, Cold Lake and Waterton Reservoir are known for sailing and the province’s waterways provide a variety of boating, canoeing and kayaking routes. Many of Alberta’s lakes and rivers have outstanding fishing. Bow Valley Provincial Park has world-renowned trout fishing and the Oldman River and Kootenay Plains Provincial Recreation Areas contain over 30 species of fish. Alberta’s many lakes also mean many beaches. Two of the best are the beach at Sylvan Lake and Devonshire Beach on Lesser Slave Lake where they hold the annual Alberta Open Sandsculpture Championships.
Parks all over the province offer an endless variety of hiking trails. From meandering rivers and prairie that seems to go on forever, to forests that blanket much of the province, to mountain views and waterfalls, Alberta’s trails pass through all kinds of terrain and offer activity levels ranging from easy to more challenging.
Alberta’s parks are also home to an abundance of wildlife. Northern Alberta is known for amazing bird watching opportunities. Of the approximately 330 bird species in Alberta, 224 have been seen in Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park, the threatened Trumpeter Swan can be found in Saskatoon Island Provincial Park and tiny songbirds migrate through the area around Lesser Slave Lake. Parks in the mountains, foothills, and prairies offer the chance to spy larger animals like bears, moose and cougars.
History can also be explored in Alberta’s parks. Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park contains hundreds of Aboriginal pictographs (paintings) and petroglyphs (carvings) and Dinosaur Provincial Park allows visitors to hike to world-famous dinosaur bonebeds and even participate in an authentic fossil dig.
When you want to escape to nature, where do you go? What are your favourite Alberta parks and wilderness areas? What is your favourite activity to do in Alberta’s parks? Let me know by making a comment at the bottom of the post.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sights and Sounds of Scotland: Alberta's Highland Games
I’ve heard it said that there are two types of people in the world – those who are Scottish and those who wish they were. Alberta’s many Highland Games offer a chance for Scottish expats and those who wish they had Scottish blood to experience the sights and sounds of Scotland right here in Alberta. A visit to the Red Deer Highland Games this past weekend allowed me to be Scottish for a day.
Pipe and Drum Competitions
The sound of bag pipes stirs the Scottish part of my soul. So imagine my delight at being able to listen to pipe music for an entire day! Most Highland Games host pipe band and individual pipe and drum competitions. Even without understanding the intricacies of the judging, it’s a pleasure to listen to the musicians. One of my favourite things to do is to wander around the grounds and eavesdrop on the musicians warming up for the competition.
Highland Dance
A popular event for many spectators is the Highland Dance competitions where dancers perform the fling, sword dance, reel and other dances. You have to admire the skill and discipline it takes to make such hard work look effortless.
Heavy Events
The heavy events are real crowd pleasers. Events like the caber toss, hammer throw, putting the stone and throwing the weight showcase the competitors’ strength and accuracy.
Spectators watch in amazement as each competitor lifts a caber weighing over 100 pounds and throws it so that it flips end over end. The sheer power required to lift the caber is impressive, but the rules of the caber toss make the feat of strength even more impressive—the athletes are judged according to the accuracy of their throw (the ideal throw is one where the caber lands in a 12 o’clock position to the thrower).
I’m fascinated by the event called throwing the weight for height. Its mild-mannered name belies the danger. Athletes must throw 28, 42 or 56 pound weights (depending on the category) over a bar with one hand. The catch is that the bar is directly above their head and is usually over 10 feet high! Watch the video below.
One-of-a-Kind Events
In addition to traditional events such as dancing and piping, some Highland Games offer events you might not expect.
The Grand Prairie Highland Games opens with a ceremonial Haggis Hurl. Female competitors stand on an upturned metal barrel and throw a haggis to their male partners. An annual tradition at the Calgary Highland Games is a soccer match between “Scotland” and “England. The Red Deer Highland Games is the only Alberta event to have a shortbread competition. After judging, the shortbread is sold to eagerly waiting fans (including me).
Massed Bands
There is no debate about what most people say is the highlight of the Highland Games—the massed bands performance. The sight of all the pipe bands marching down the field in unison combined with the extraordinary sound of that many pipes and drums takes your breath away.
Pipe and Drum Competitions
The sound of bag pipes stirs the Scottish part of my soul. So imagine my delight at being able to listen to pipe music for an entire day! Most Highland Games host pipe band and individual pipe and drum competitions. Even without understanding the intricacies of the judging, it’s a pleasure to listen to the musicians. One of my favourite things to do is to wander around the grounds and eavesdrop on the musicians warming up for the competition.
Highland Dance
A popular event for many spectators is the Highland Dance competitions where dancers perform the fling, sword dance, reel and other dances. You have to admire the skill and discipline it takes to make such hard work look effortless.
Heavy Events
The heavy events are real crowd pleasers. Events like the caber toss, hammer throw, putting the stone and throwing the weight showcase the competitors’ strength and accuracy.
Spectators watch in amazement as each competitor lifts a caber weighing over 100 pounds and throws it so that it flips end over end. The sheer power required to lift the caber is impressive, but the rules of the caber toss make the feat of strength even more impressive—the athletes are judged according to the accuracy of their throw (the ideal throw is one where the caber lands in a 12 o’clock position to the thrower).
I’m fascinated by the event called throwing the weight for height. Its mild-mannered name belies the danger. Athletes must throw 28, 42 or 56 pound weights (depending on the category) over a bar with one hand. The catch is that the bar is directly above their head and is usually over 10 feet high! Watch the video below.
One-of-a-Kind Events
In addition to traditional events such as dancing and piping, some Highland Games offer events you might not expect.
The Grand Prairie Highland Games opens with a ceremonial Haggis Hurl. Female competitors stand on an upturned metal barrel and throw a haggis to their male partners. An annual tradition at the Calgary Highland Games is a soccer match between “Scotland” and “England. The Red Deer Highland Games is the only Alberta event to have a shortbread competition. After judging, the shortbread is sold to eagerly waiting fans (including me).
Massed Bands
There is no debate about what most people say is the highlight of the Highland Games—the massed bands performance. The sight of all the pipe bands marching down the field in unison combined with the extraordinary sound of that many pipes and drums takes your breath away.
Whether you’re Scottish or just wish you were, enjoy the sights and sounds of Scotland at these Alberta Highland Games:
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A Fruitful Endeavour: Alberta's Cottage Wineries
When people think of wine, they don’t usually think of Alberta. Two local cottage wineries are changing people’s minds using Alberta-grown organic fruit to craft a surprising range of fruit wine.
I think most people assume that wines made from fruit like wild cherries, apples, strawberries, and raspberries are sweet and syrupy dessert wines. Although many are fine examples of dessert wine, the surprise is that many of the wines are medium-dry or off-dry and pair nicely with meals of pasta, Asian food, pork, red meats and salad.
In central Alberta, Brosseau’s en Sante Winery is using some unusual ingredients to make their refreshing fruit wines. In addition to typical fruits like apples and saskatoons, they use rhubarb, honey and even alfalfa hay!
Lovers of port will appreciate the fortified dessert wines made by Strathmore’s Field Stone Fruit Wines. For tastings of their entire selection of wines, drop in to their on-site wine store between May and September or call during the off-season to make an appointment.
You can find these wines at some Alberta farmers’ markets and in select liquor stores. Vendor information is listed on each winery’s website.
Try Alberta’s fruit wines tonight and sample a taste of Alberta in a way you thought you never would.
I think most people assume that wines made from fruit like wild cherries, apples, strawberries, and raspberries are sweet and syrupy dessert wines. Although many are fine examples of dessert wine, the surprise is that many of the wines are medium-dry or off-dry and pair nicely with meals of pasta, Asian food, pork, red meats and salad.
In central Alberta, Brosseau’s en Sante Winery is using some unusual ingredients to make their refreshing fruit wines. In addition to typical fruits like apples and saskatoons, they use rhubarb, honey and even alfalfa hay!
Lovers of port will appreciate the fortified dessert wines made by Strathmore’s Field Stone Fruit Wines. For tastings of their entire selection of wines, drop in to their on-site wine store between May and September or call during the off-season to make an appointment.
You can find these wines at some Alberta farmers’ markets and in select liquor stores. Vendor information is listed on each winery’s website.
Try Alberta’s fruit wines tonight and sample a taste of Alberta in a way you thought you never would.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Icons of the Prairies
The news that a historic grain elevator in Fleming, Saskatchewan was destroyed by fire this week made me wonder if Alberta has any iconic wooden grain elevators still around.
We do. And here is a list of communities with restored grain elevators that are now museums and/or are open for people to explore:
Read the CBC news story about the Fleming, SK elevator.
We do. And here is a list of communities with restored grain elevators that are now museums and/or are open for people to explore:
- Acadia Valley
- Alberta Central Railway Museum (near Wetaskiwin)
- Andrew
- Big Valley
- Heritage Park in Calgary
- Castor
- Heritage Acres Farm Museum (near Pincher Creek)
- Leduc
- Lougheed - Iron Creek Museum
- Mayerthorpe
- Meeting Creek
- Nanton - Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Center
- Paradise Valley (near Wainwright) Climb Through Time Museum
- Radway
- Rowley
- Scandia
- St. Albert
- Stettler
- Spruce Grove
- Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village (near Edmonton)
Read the CBC news story about the Fleming, SK elevator.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Big Things are Popping up all Over Alberta
Roadside attractions are the giant cocktail swizzlesticks of travel tales. Use them to stir up conversation (“I peeked out of the T-Rex’s jaws just in time to see Bob disappear”) and as pokers to deflate your rival’s one-upmanship stories (“Look my sausage is 12.2-metres tall, yours is a cocktail weenie.”) Throw in having your photo taken with a giant gun-toting Pinto bean and how could you NOT want to check out Alberta’s weirdest roadside attractions? From Weapons of Mass Construction by Mike Ross.I agree whole-heartedly. What’s not to love about these big and bold statements of a town’s community spirit? Grab your sense of adventure and explore the wacky side of small town Alberta.
Some of my favourites:
- Beaver (Beaverlodge) What’s not to love about a 3000 pound beaver?
- Golf Tee (Trochu) Trochu’s my home town. I’m a tad biased.
- Pysanka (Vegreville) So pretty… and turns in the wind like a weather vane.
- Sundial (Lloydminster) Wonderful simplicity. It reminds me a little of Stonehenge.
Check out the following links for more unique and oversized attractions:
Big Things
Large Canadian Roadside Attractions
Kalyna Country Western Canada’s Roadside Attractions Capital
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
