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Realization
of an
Educational Experiential Regional Transportation Heritage Destination
September 2022 (photo
and illustration description and credits at bottom of
page)
 Adaptability
in creating a rail park blended with themed tourism
facilities
Over the past few years, the Forth Junction Heritage Society has
been constantly developing and modifying a flexible
concept plan in order to realize this heritage rail park
that would acquaint the public
about the impact of the railway and other surface transportation in the settlement,
economic development, culture and environmental changes
that have occurred in Central
Alberta and celebrate it in a fun, family-friendly, informative, experiential and
interactive way.
The Society is
actively looking for municipal, community and corporate
partners to bring this vision to reality at a location adjacent to or close to an active rail line (preferably the CPR Calgary-Edmonton
line between Lacombe and Bowden) that is
accessible and has the potential for servicing.
 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.
Models and
Scenarios
Several models
and scenarios have been examined for realization of the
vision including the following:
 Donated land model
The preferred model for the rail park and complementary
tourist facilities is that a
municipality, individual or corporation donate 15-16
acres of land to the Society close to
another 10-15 acres of land that could be developed as a
semi-commercial tourist zone in the future depending on
need and location.
- The Forth Junction Heritage Society would
operate and maintain the
park in partnership with other organizations, find sponsors for the
structures and
provide historical perspectives, artifacts and exhibits.
- Host municipality would provide access and servicing
as needed.
- Operation and maintenance would fall to society with
volunteers,
fundraisers and donations from individuals, municipality, businesses
and community organizations such as
service clubs.
- Natural features would be preserved as much as
possible.
- Structures would be built with grants and
sponsorships.
- No admission fee until Phase 2 completed.
Scenario 1 -
Heritage Rail Park Only -
Donation of approx. 15 acres of land by
municipality, corporation or individual. Income from
refreshments, building/room rentals, gift shop,
donations and grants.
Scenario 2 -
Heritage Rail Park blended with Tourism
Facilities -
Donation of approx. 25 acres of land by
municipality, corporation or individual for expanded
heritage rail park that would contain tourism features. Initial income from refreshments,
building/room rentals and gift shop. As tourism
facilities are established, significant income is
anticipated from room/resort rentals, catering/food
services, special events and conferences.
Scenario 3 (preferred 1st choice) -
Heritage Rail Park and Separate Tourism
Facilities -
Donation of approx. 15 acres of land by
municipality, corporation or individual. Income from
refreshments, building/room rentals and gift shop.
Separate tourism zone adjacent to or close by rail park
would be owned either by municipality or private
corporation. It is envisioned that a partnership between
the two zones would result in a portion of the income
generated by the tourism zone be donated to the rail
park for ongoing operation.
Scenario 4
(original concept) -
Heritage Rail Park blended with Tourism
Facilities and Rail Loop -
Donation of approx. 40+ acres of land more or less
square by municipality, corporation or individual for
expanded heritage rail park that would contain tourism
features and space for an eventual rail loop that could
provide train rides within the park. Initial income from refreshments,
building/room rentals and gift shop. As tourism
facilities are established, significant income is
anticipated from room/resort rentals, land leases,
catering/food services, special events, train rides and
conferences. Sufficient space available to include
facilities by other heritage and/or cultural
organizations.
Scenario 5 -
Condensed Heritage Rail Park
Donation of approx. 5-10 acres of land by
municipality, corporation or individual. Income from
refreshments, building/room rentals, gift shop,
donations and grants. Less landscaping and fewer
features than preferred. Buildings closer together than
preferred. Minimum features to include replication of
C&E Railway station for museum, additional replicated
stations for exhibits and discovery including miniature
world exhibit, train viewing platform, transit pavilion, decorative
garden, meeting room, gift shop and family activity
area.
 Municipal or corporate
community park model
A municipality or
corporation (host) would own the land for the envisioned
15-16 acre rail park and possibly the additional 10-15
acre tourism zone.
- Host would be responsible for access, servicing and
ground
maintenance.
- The Forth Junction Heritage Society would find
sponsors for the
structures
and provide the historical perspectives, artifacts and
exhibits.
- Operation would be shared between host and the society
with
volunteers, fundraisers and donations from individuals, businesses and
community organizations such as service
clubs.
- Structures would be built with grants and
sponsorships.
- No admission fee until Phase 2 completed.
- Income from refreshments,
building/room rentals and gift shop would go to host.
Scenario 6 -
Heritage Rail Park Only -
Municipality or corporation (host) would create or
repurpose 15 acres of park and/or green space.
Scenario 7 -
Heritage Rail Park blended with
Tourism Facilities -
Municipality or corporation (host) would create or
repurpose 25+ acres of park and/or green space.
Scenario 8 (2nd preferred choice) -
Heritage Rail Park and Separate Tourism
Facilities -
Municipality or corporation (host) would create or
repurpose 15 acres of park and/or green space.
Separate tourism zone adjacent to or close by rail park
would be owned either by municipality or private
corporation.
Scenario 9 -
Heritage Rail Park blended with Tourism
Facilities and Rail Loop (original) -
Donation of approx. 40+ acres of land more or less
square by municipality, corporation or individual for
expanded heritage rail park that would contain tourism
features and space for an eventual rail loop that could
provide train rides within the park. Initial income from refreshments,
building/room rentals and gift shop. As tourism
facilities are established, significant income is
anticipated from room/resort rentals, land leases,
catering/food services, special events, train rides and
conferences. Sufficient space available to include
facilities by other heritage and/or cultural
organizations.
Scenario 10 -
Condensed Heritage Rail Park Only -
Municipality or corporation (host) would create or
repurpose 5-10 acres of park and/or green space.
Income from refreshments, building/room rentals, gift
shop, donations and grants. Less landscaping and fewer
features than preferred. Buildings closer together than
preferred. Minimum features to include replication of
C&E Railway station for museum, additional replicated
stations for exhibits and discovery including miniature
world exhibit, train viewing platform, transit pavilion, decorative
garden, meeting room, gift shop and family activity
area.
 Municipal
legacy village model
A municipality would own sufficient land (up to 40
acres) as a historical and/or cultural village operated by
two or more
non-profit (and possibly commercial entities) that would
blend a
variety of historical and cultural interpretive facilities including
an area dedicated to rail and transportation history, a
portion of which would be operated by the Forth Junction
Heritage Society.
Developer partnership model
As part of a residential, commercial or industrial
development, the Society could partner with the
developer to create a rail park using municipal reserve
to create either a buffer zone or a community benefit.
Entrepreneurial model
An entrepreneur would own and operate the park including
the tourism facilities in order to make a profit. A
significant investment would have to be made up front.
None of the current members of the Society are in a
position to do that. Although the conference centre,
meeting rooms, restaurant, snack bar, tour depot,
station resort and possibly miniature world have the
potential to provide significant income, most of the
heritage facilities would have to be subsidized by the
aforementioned features. The Forth Junction Heritage
Society would act as advisors to the business and
provide the historical perspectives, artifacts and some
exhibits.
Over time,
the park is envisioned to evolve into a world-class
visitor destination that includes not only the rail park
but complementary integrated but separate commercial and
tourism services including a restaurant, accommodation
and conference facilities.
See:
Concept of Forth Junction Heritage Rail Park
See:
Detailed Staging of Forth Junction
Heritage Rail Park
See:
Our Collection and Policies
See:
The objectives of the Forth Junction Heritage
Society
See:
Ultimate vision of blended
complementary heritage development
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 The intent of the Forth Junction Heritage Society in
creating this vision is to advance the concept and
co-ordinate development of the various proposed
facilities.
It is expected that other entities will
build and operate many of the proposed commercial or
semi-commercial features of the overall vision. This
could be done by the creation of a not-for-profit
corporation, partnering with municipalities or
corporations, or development by businesses and
entrepreneurs as stand-alone tourism operations. The
Society itself plans to develop and operate the
educational and community aspects of the regional heritage park
including the various interpretive centres, exhibits,
gardens and pathways.
 The Society's primary mission is to preserve, promote and share the transportation heritage of our
community and region; and to pass that heritage to future
generations in a sustainable and interactive way through education,
advocacy and nurturing a passion for the continuous evolution of
trail, rail and transit.
The Society's primary objectives are to educate the public on the evolution of the railway, historic
trails and transit in the settlement and development of Central
Alberta specifically and Western
Canada generally through workshops, displays, and interactive
interpretation and to preserve the trail, rail and transit heritage of Central
Alberta through the acquisition, preservation and restoration of
railway and other ground transportation artifacts, equipment and
infrastructure.
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Photo descriptions and credits:
Header photo: CPR Red Deer station, freighthouse,
garden 1912 (Red Deer Archives P8737);
CPR Red Deer station, freighthouse, garden 1912 (Red
Deer Archives P8737);
Possible site plan for 16-acre
Heritage Rail Park with blended added tourism zone (Paul Pettypiece);
Forth Junction Heritage Society display banner;
Possible site plan for 16-acre Heritage Rail Park
with added separate tourism zone (Paul Pettypiece);
Possible site plan for expanded Heritage Rail Park
blended with tourism facilities (Paul Pettypiece);
Former Calgary & Edmonton Railway Station Museum
replication in
south Edmonton (Paul Pettypiece 2013);
Garden at Big Valley Canadian Northern Railway
station (Paul Pettypiece 2017)
Rail park at West Coast Railway Museum (Paul
Pettypiece 2016)
Site plan graphic renderings and photos by Paul Pettypiece,
except for the historic photos courtesy of Red
Deer Archives
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