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Core
Objectives of the
Forth Junction Heritage Society:
Vision:
- to be Central Alberta's world class heritage destination celebrating
the past, present and future of trails, trains and transit.
Mission
Statement:
- 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
trails, rails and transit.
Core Objectives
(Purposes):
1. to educate the public on the evolution of the railway, historic
trails and transit in the settlement and development of Western
Canada through workshops, displays, and interactive interpretation;
a)
Develop miniature educational historical interpretive displays to represent the
evolution of the city and region as physical development and
economic changes occurred during critical times of change.
- create
modular representations of historic transportation themes and
landmarks;
- build a working replication in 1/8 scale of the historic Jubilee
F2 locomotive 3001 that once represented high speed rail between
Edmonton and Calgary;
- create a historic miniature railway centre that would house
museum-quality interpretive and interactive representations of the
evolution of the city and region in a variety of time scenarios
including 1892, 1913, 1939, 1955 and 1985.
b)
Promote the exploration of how changes in technology, prosperity,
values and world events may affect the future of transportation.
- advocate for the concept of a rapid transportation
corridor linking Red Deer with the cities of Edmonton and Calgary,
and regional transit initiatives that use efficient and
environmentally-sensitive technologies;
- work with organizations including Red Deer College to create an
interpretive centre that demonstrates the changes in values and
technology as the growth and prosperity of the region evolved and as
transportation technology evolves in the future;
- the construction of a miniature representation of how the future
of rail transportation could evolve as part of a historic miniature
railway centre.
c)
Provide educational workshops to the general public on the skills
required to create interpretive displays.
- create a model craftsman studio and workshop open to the
general public, with emphasis on youth, that demonstrates and involves hands-on instruction
of miniature representations of landscapes, structures and
transportation models that include the development of skills in
planning, carpentry, electronics, scratch-building and other crafts.
2. to preserve
the trail, rail and transit heritage of Central
Alberta through the acquisition, preservation and restoration of
railway and other ground transportation artifacts.
a)
Advocate for, assist and actively participate in the
preservation of trail, rail and transit heritage of Central Alberta
including the replication of significant historical features that no
longer exist.
- co-ordinate with historic sites, museums, societies
and activities to develop regional walking and driving heritage
tours that could include existing heritage facilities in Stettler,
Big Valley, Innisfail, Delburne, Sylvan Lake, Wetaskiwin and Red
Deer;
- publish a book on the history of trails, trains and transit of
Central Alberta.
b)
Develop a Trails, Rails and Transit Heritage Centre or
series of interpretive centres, focused
on preservation, interactive interpretation and education, to be
located preferably, but not necessarily, between downtown Red Deer
and the historic Mintlaw trestle.
- purchase or lease property for a sustainable heritage
centre, preferably within the context of a major year-round
heritage-entertainment-gathering complex that could include a retail
component, restaurant and indoor theme park operated by other
entities, in or close to downtown Red Deer near the site of the former
railway yards or close to the historic former rail right of way of
the Alberta Central Railway;
- work toward creating overall transportation themes that include representation of First Nations modes of travel
and historic trails;
- maintain involvement in the process of downtown
redevelopment and encourage the Greater Downtown Action Plan
Committee to develop a theme around transportation including rails,
trails and transit.
c)
Acquire, refurbish, restore, replicate, display and interpret
railway and other ground transportation artifacts.
- replicate a variety of typical railway stations that once existed
in Central Alberta for a variety of uses to maintain a sustainable
and self-supporting heritage park;
- create a transit-themed building to store and display historic
transit vehicles;
- acquire and display various transportation artifacts, photographs,
maps, historic documents and other memorabilia that once represented
the growth and development of Western Canada.
d)
Support, in principle, the vision of a variety of major visitor and
community destinations that are based on a theme around the evolution
of the railway, historic trails and transit in the settlement and
development of Western Canada.
- purchase or
lease property for a family heritage, activity and nature park,
preferably close to the city, transportation routes, heritage sites
and regional walking trails;
- work with municipalities, including the City of Red Deer and Red
Deer County, and organizations, including the Red Deer Downtown
Business Association, the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Red
Deer, Central Alberta Historical Society, and others, to promote the
Forth Junction Project mission statement;
- develop strong community support for the continuation of the
transportation theme throughout the city and region already being
created by the city's initiatives along Alexander Way and the
preservation of the historic CPR railway station and bridge and the
county's initiative of preserving the historic Mintlaw trestle, the
former Alberta Central Railway's right of way and the historic
Calgary and Edmonton Trail.
Collaboration, Integration and Compatibility with other plans
All aspects of the Forth Junction Project vision are compatible with and
complimentary to the following existing adopted plans:
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The Red Deer Greater Downtown Action Plan;
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The Red Deer River Valley and Tributaries Park Plan;
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The Red Deer County Open Spaces Master Plan.
There are some conceptual objectives that we, as a society, are
advocating but will not develop ourselves, including the regional Transpo
Centre shopping mall, the indoor theme park, the observation tower
restaurant, the railway station resort, guided bus tours, the future
transportation centre and regional marketing.
We foresee that some of these conceptual facilities may be developed
in the future by for-profit businesses, not-for-profit businesses,
foundations, municipalities and other organizations.
As much as we would like to see these concepts come to fruition in
time as a tourism strategy, the fundamental objectives of the Forth
Junction Heritage Society are not necessarily dependent on those
concepts occurring.
However, if other organizations choose not to pursue our overall
vision for major attractors, the society is prepared to work toward
modified versions of a theme park, replication of historic railway
stations, organized tours and a heritage-based store strictly to
raise funds for the society's primary objectives as part of a
long-term strategy for heritage preservation, education, celebration
and enhanced quality of life for the citizens of Central Alberta.
Frequently Asked
Questions
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