How Kananaskis came to be the destination it is today
While the world's most powerful leaders are coming to Kananaskis this week for the G7 summit, the area has been attracting visitors and residents for centuries.
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People may have lived here as far back as 4500 BC. The Blackfoot and Stoney First Nations made the area home in the early 1800s. Europeans found it about a century and a half ago, with the Kananaskis name bestowed upon it, possibly to honour a First Nations warrior.
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With Europeans, came development. As the railway expanded west, the Canadian Pacific Railway announced it would stop in Kananaski to head west at 4:03 each day. Commerce in the area expanded, too. When Bow River Mills opened, there was a sense of excitement about the new enterprise. These ads for the business appeared in the Calgary Herald in 1888.
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Kananaskis importantly, however, became known for its natural beauty as this 1892 story about photographs of the area indicated. Other newspaper stories from the late 1800s and early 1900s indicate it was common for school groups, church groups and other organizations to visit Kananaskis for picnics and hikes.
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By the mid-1900s a number of provincial parks had been started in Kananaskis, but Premier Peter Lougheed — and local environmental groups — saw the need for better protection of the area. In 1975, Alberta's provincial government proposed the idea of officially turning the Kananaskis area into a provincial park.
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The announcement led to much discussion about the idea as this full page background piece shows.
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Kananaskis Provincial Park was officially dedicated in September 1978, with development costs then expected to be $40 million. It was lauded for combining both recreational and wilderness areas, while predicted to become a model for future projects on the eastern slopes of the Rockies.
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TURN PAGE from Sept. 23, 1978 front page:
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Over the years, Kananaskis Country developed into more than 4,200 square kilometres of land that consists of many five provincial parks, four wildland provincial parks and many provincial recreation areas. It's a visitor mecca for those who enjoy nature, hiking, canoeing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
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Calgary Herald
4 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
G7 leaders will get a 'truly Albertan experience' says Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge GM
Article content A one-hour drive from Calgary, the lodge boasts stunning views of the Kananaskis valley, with five restaurants and a Nordic spa. Article content For Rachel Ludwig, CEO of Tourism Kananaskis, the prospect of world leaders visiting the region is encouraging. 'We're actually trying to attract more international visitors to the area because we know they are spending more money and staying longer,' she said. Article content The region has been seeing growing popularity since 2019, she said, a trend that she hopes 'will continue.' Article content 'It's the mountains that really defines us as an area,' she said. 'We're not only in the mountains but we are with the mountains, and those mountains transform the way we live.' Article content Article content Little has been revealed about the menu to be served to world leaders. According to a spokesperson for the lodge, the cuisine will focus on regional and local ingredients such as premium Alberta beef, coast-to-coast seafood and local berries, foraged vegetables, regional cheeses, and nuts and seeds. Article content Article content At the 2002 summit, food was served buffet-style so foreign dignitaries could pick and choose what they wanted on their plate, and edged away from ethnic specialties that couldn't be replicated as in their countries of origin. Article content Hovey-Smith said the lodge's aim is to introduce guests to Kananaskis. Article content 'Tying in local food and drinks, and highlighting local suppliers and working with local artists . . . introduce the group to a truly Albertan experience in the Rockies,' she said. Article content Hovey-Smith said she couldn't offer specific details on what it's like to plan for the G7 summit. But often for events of this size, where the client has occupied the entire property, preparations begin a year out with close to 400 staff involved in planning. Article content Article content The summit begins Sunday and continues until Tuesday — and with guests already arriving, Hovey-Smith said staff are on alert. Article content 'They've done quite a bit of training with the team around a number of different expectations to make sure that everyone is able to deliver the level of service that's expected,' she said, 'just as we would with any client.' Article content But with the official event looming, there is 'a lot of nervous anticipation,' she said. Article content 'Earlier in the week when the controlled access zone started, there were a lot of questions,' she said. 'But now everyone's kind of settled down and understands how the security processes work and has their pass around their neck all the time. I think the team is feeling really excited.' Article content For some employees who aren't from Canada, it may be about getting to see their country leaders up close. Article content 'It's very exciting for them to see their heads of state being invited to Canada,' she said. Article content Hovey-Smith says once they move from planning to hosting, it will be the same as any other event. The goal remains the same — 'To make sure that people are leaving here with a great experience, and, you know, ready to tell all their friends about the great time they just had in Canada,' she said.
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Stretch of Red Line closed over the weekend
The Red Line will be closed between Sunnyside and University Station starting Saturday morning. As if having world leaders arriving from every corner of the planet for the G7 summit wasn't enough to make getting around town more challenging than usual this weekend, the Red Line will also be disrupted. Calgary Transit posted on its social media channels that the Red Line between Sunnyside and University Station will be closed June 14 to 15. The closure will impact Sunnyside, SAIT/AUArts/Jubilee, Lions Park, Banff Trail, University, and Brentwood stations. Shuttle buses will replace train service between Sunnyside and Brentwood Stations both days. Passengers on the southbound train from Brentwood should stay on only if you're going to University Station. Otherwise, catch the shuttle in the Brentwood Station bus loop. Trains coming from the south and downtown will terminate at Sunnyside station, while trains from the northwest will terminate at University station. Calgary Transit also posted a message on its website that customers calling Teleride may experience issues trying to obtain schedule information and recommended trying TeleText at 74000 or the Trip Planner on the Calgary Transit website. It also posted that Route 100 (Airport/Saddletowne) and 119 (Freeport) are both being detoured due to G7-related road closures around the airport. Expect delays and plan ahead. Regular Red Line service will resume Monday morning. For more information, go here.
6 hours ago
On the road to the G7 in Kananaskis, a popular wilderness retreat locks down
Please, allow me to show you my bus that I drive for G7, says the driver. Willi Mair makes his way around the side of the coach, a late-model Canadian-made Prevost. It's branded with the name of the company, Sunshine Coach, and painted with three slices of sunset red and golden yellow. He steps up the entrance of the bus and leans into the driver's area. The coach has all of the conveniences, Mair notes — he can lower the front for older people to come on board. It's got seatbelts, for safety. There's a washroom in the back. And it is, of course … air conditioned, he concludes, proudly. Just a few days ago, Mair's bus was full of RCMP officers, heading to the G7 summit. They weren't in uniform, but they came carrying heavy bags. Mair, who likes to help passengers load their luggage, was surprised at their weight. I was afraid I would pull the handle off just by lifting, he said. But the officers were very nice. Casual. And going to work, I guess. Tuesday was the first day a controlled access zone came into effect (new window) in the Kananaskis region in advance of the G7 summit, a gathering of leaders from seven of the world's advanced economies. The summit has brought a significantly heightened police and military presence to this area. WATCH | Here's what the new Kananaskis G7 security perimeter looks like: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Here's what the new Kananaskis G7 security perimeter looks like RCMP have established a secure 'controlled access zone' surrounding Kananaskis Village ahead of the G7 summit there from June 15-17. The CBC's Acton Clarkin and Joel Dryden went to the zone's border to find out what's off limits and learn more about final summit security preparations. Now that the zone has come into effect, Mair is only driving security officials and staff from the Calgary International Airport as far as the Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino, a little more than 25 kilometres from the summit site. White tents at the casino play host to vehicle screening and act as a passenger switch-over point. Screened vehicles are escorted into the controlled access zone. Other passengers are moved in on pre-cleared buses. It is a big hoopla, for sure, Mair said. But, it has to be this way. Willi Mair with Sunshine Coach points to the interior of the bus with 56 recliner seats he's using to drive G7 security officials and staff around. (Acton Clarkin/CBC) Photo: (Acton Clarkin/CBC) Police forces come to Alberta to support The Bearspaw Kananaskis Travel Centre sits in the next parking lot over from the Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino. Ellaina Benjamin is working the front counter. Being situated right outside the road that takes delegates to the controlled access zone means these employees are seeing a lot — army helicopters, jets, and police from across the country. I kind of find it amusing, entertaining to see. It's something different, for sure. I got nosy yesterday and I was asking where their jurisdictions are from, Benjamin said. Security for the event is being run by an integrated group that includes the RCMP, the Calgary Police Service, Alberta sheriffs, Alberta conservation officers and the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as other police services from across the country, including Edmonton, Winnipeg, and the Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service. These forces are tasked with handling what officials have referred to as the largest domestic security operation a country can take on, with more advanced technological threats, including drones. Other threats are those outdoorsy Albertans may be more familiar with. Some of them come into view on a trip up the road to the controlled access zone. A sign on the side of the road advises motorists that the fire danger rating for Banff National Park is now classified (new window) as Extreme. Near a blockade close to the summit site, a bear is seen scampering into the dense treeline. Officials have said they're working to minimize the wildlife-human contact. In 2002, the last time the leaders' summit was held in Kananaskis, a bear was tranquilized and later killed after it came too close to the leaders' site. Near the Wasootch Ridge Trailhead, police vehicles wave motorists over, asking them to roll down their windows. From here, accreditation is mandatory for anyone who wants into the controlled access zone. A controlled access zone has been in effect since June 10, and will remain until June 18. (Acton Clarkin/CBC) Photo: (Acton Clarkin/CBC) Some anxious to return to natural spaces The region will stay this way, locked down, until June 18. For those locals who have come to view Kananaskis as a retreat from daily life, the disruption can't end soon enough. The Galatea day use area, Mount Lorette Ponds, and Little Lougheed Trail are among several recreational zones off-limits (new window) until the summit wraps up. It's closed all my favourite spots, said Nalyn Hill, who visits the area from Calgary almost every weekend with her dog. I like to take him to Mount Lorette Ponds, especially … everything was blocked off. So, it's very frustrating. Nalyn Hill, a Calgary resident who visits Kananaskis often, said she's frustrated about her favourite escapes being closed during the G7 summit. (Acton Clarkin/CBC) Photo: (Acton Clarkin/CBC) Though leaders will be situated within Kananaskis Village itself, the disruption isn't just being felt around the Kananaskis region. Calgary, Banff, and the surrounding area is playing host to media and support teams from around the world. In Banff, international media will gather at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Preparation was in full-swing on Tuesday, with crews checking technology and setting up stations for journalists to deliver their live reports. Soon, leaders will arrive at Kananaskis Village, the international media centre will be bustling with activity, and the nearby site at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre will be open for those looking to protest. Janice Hagel, who was taking a break from a bicycle ride outside the recreation centre on Tuesday, said she thinks the security measures are necessary given the scale of the event. But she adds she'll be watching the outcomes of the summit closely. I'm interested in what they'll be talking about, she said. And not only that, but what they'll be acting on. Joel Dryden (new window) · CBC News
