Latest news with #TravelDrumheller
Hamilton Spectator
24-04-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Tyra's fate brighter after collective meeting between Drumheller organizations
The uproar of Drumheller residents and dinosaur enthusiasts who were rocked by the announcement of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce during its Annual General Meeting in March 2025 that it would not renew its lease with the Town of Drumheller, putting the future of Tyra the World's Largest Dinosaur in peril, has been sated as the Chamber, Town of Drumheller, and Travel Drumheller have come together to make a collaborative plan for the future of the renowned and beloved attraction. Following the announcement, which took Drumheller Town council members and residents alike by surprise, the Town held a special meeting of council on Thursday, March 27 where council moved to discuss the future of the World's Largest Dinosaur (WLD) with partner agencies Travel Drumheller and the Chamber. 'We're looking forward to working on lockstep with our partners to research and consider options for the WLD,' says Town of Drumheller Chief Administrative Officer Darryl Drohomerski in a press release. 'This is the start of a process grounded in collaboration and shared purpose.' Strategic next steps will be identified by the three groups. This will involve conducting a physical examination of the steel and fibreglass structure to get a better understanding of its longevity and overall lifespan, and future planning. 'The World's Largest Dinosaur is deeply tied to Drumheller's tourism identity,' says Travel Drumheller Executive Director Julia Fielding. 'We're committed to keeping her memory alive while ensuring that our community continues to thrive as a destination well beyond 2029.' Since opening in 2000, Tyra has welcomed some 2.7 million visitors, with 132,600 visitors making the climb to the lookout within Tyra's mouth in 2024 alone; the record year for highest visitation was in 2001 with a total of 145,517 visitors. Along with attracting visitors, proceeds from both admissions and gift shop sales have supported numerous community projects throughout Tyra's lifetime through the WLD Legacy Fund. In total, $842,629 has been reinvested back into the Drumheller region since 2000, with over $40,000 in 2024 to projects such as the outdoor ice-skating trail pilot project by Badlands Trail Society and the Midlandvale Community Hall Association outdoor accessible rink project.
CBC
18-04-2025
- General
- CBC
Working group created to find way to save popular Drumheller, Alta., dinosaur
An important first step to save Tyra the Tyrannosaurus Image | Alta-Drumheller-Dinosaur 20250417 Caption: Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, the lovable landmark that towers over the Drumheller skyline in the heart of the Canadian Badlands, is pictured in Drumheller, Alta., Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) An important first step has been taken to save Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, the popular tourist attraction that towers over the skyline in Drumheller, Alta., and was facing extinction in 2029. The 25-metre-high figure, four times the size of a real T. Rex, attracts 150,000 visitors a year, serving as the backdrop to hundreds of thousands of tourist photos over the last quarter of a century. But earlier this month, the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce announced plans to dismantle Tyra at the end of 2029. The news resulted in a public backlash with 23,500 names on a petition calling for her to be spared. The Town of Drumheller also demanded meetings with the chamber and Travel Drumheller. The town announced Thursday that the three groups will explore options with the goal to continue welcoming visitors while planning thoughtfully for the future. "While this decision marks the end of an era, it also opens the door to new opportunities," said Heather Bitz, executive director of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce. "We're excited to work closely with our community partners to explore what comes next while continuing to celebrate Tyra's impact over the next 4.5 years." The working group will identify strategic next steps in the months ahead, starting with a physical evaluation to help determine the longevity of the steel and fibreglass structure. "We're looking forward to working in lockstep with our partners to research and consider options for the WLD [world's largest dinosaur]," said Darryl Drohomerski, the town's chief administrative officer. "This is the start of a process grounded in collaboration and shared purpose." More details will be shared after the condition of Tyra is assessed. AJ Frey, the Drumheller businessman who launched the petition, praised the three groups for stepping up. "This is a huge win for everyone involved — massive kudos to the three organizations for grabbing the reins and championing Tyra's future," Frey said in a post on Facebook. Julia Fielding, the executive director of Travel Drumheller, had hoped a solution could be worked out because Tyra is deeply tied to the town's tourism identity. "We're committed to keeping her memory alive while ensuring that our community continues to thrive as a destination well beyond 2029." The town of 8,400 northeast of Calgary bills itself as the Dinosaur Capital of the World. Home to the famed Royal Tyrrell Museum, the community also has statues of dinosaurs that look like they crawled out of the Flintstones cartoon greeting people on the streets.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Working group created to find way to save popular Drumheller, Alta., dinosaur
CALGARY — An important first step has been taken to save Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, the popular tourist attraction that towers over the skyline in Drumheller, Alta., and was facing extinction in 2029. The 25-metre-high figure, four times the size of a real T. Rex, attracts 150,000 visitors a year, serving as the backdrop to hundreds of thousands of tourist photos over the last quarter of a century. But earlier this month, the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce announced plans to dismantle Tyra at the end of 2029. The news resulted in a public backlash with 23,500 names on a petition calling for her to be spared. The Town of Drumheller also demanded meetings with the chamber and Travel Drumheller. The town announced Thursday that the three groups will explore options with the goal to continue welcoming visitors while planning thoughtfully for the future. "While this decision marks the end of an era, it also opens the door to new opportunities,' said Heather Bitz, executive director of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce. "We're excited to work closely with our community partners to explore what comes next while continuing to celebrate Tyra's impact over the next 4.5 years.' The working group will identify strategic next steps in the months ahead, starting with a physical evaluation to help determine the longevity of the steel and fibreglass structure. 'We're looking forward to working in lockstep with our partners to research and consider options for the WLD (world's largest dinosaur),' said Darryl Drohomerski, the town's chief administrative officer. "This is the start of a process grounded in collaboration and shared purpose." More details will be shared after the condition of Tyra is assessed. AJ Frey, the Drumheller businessman who launched the petition, praised the three groups for stepping up. "This is a HUGE win for everyone involved—massive kudos to the three organizations for grabbing the reins and championing Tyra's future," Frey said in a post on Facebook. Julia Fielding, the executive director of Travel Drumheller, had hoped a solution could be worked out because Tyra is deeply tied to the town's tourism identity. "We're committed to keeping her memory alive while ensuring that our community continues to thrive as a destination well beyond 2029." The town of 8,400 northeast of Calgary bills itself as the Dinosaur Capital of the World. Home to the famed Royal Tyrrell Museum, the community also has statues of dinosaurs that look like they crawled out of the Flintstones cartoon greeting people on the streets. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2025. Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
