Transcript The Forth Junction Project

The Forth Junction
Project
a visionary multi-venue major attraction proposed by the Forth Junction Heritage Society
The Forth Junction
Project
The legacies of trails, trains and transit is an opportunity
for tourism, branding and economic development linking
downtown Red Deer, the Red Deer region and all of Central Alberta
a visionary multi-venue major attraction proposed by the Forth Junction Heritage Society
The Forth Junction
Project
An
opportunity
to create a major regional tourist destination that celebrates
ground transportation, with specific significance of the railway,
in the economic development of Central Alberta and how
it represents the settlement and growth of Western Canada
a visionary multi-venue major attraction proposed by the Forth Junction Heritage Society
The Forth Junction Project
The Evolution of a Railway Theme
representing the settlement and economic development
of the Red Deer region and Western Canada
The Evolution of a Railway Theme

Existing Red Deer
Downtown Icons
Red Deer CP Bridge
Red Deer CP Station
Provincial Historic Resource
Red Deer CP Park Fountain
The Evolution of a Railway Theme

Existing and Developing
Interpretive Icons
Historical Model Rail
Display Innisfail
Alberta Central Railway
Pier at Taylor Drive
‘The Arches’ Historical Outdoor Display
Historic Railway Icons

The ACR Mintlaw Steel Trestle
The Alberta Central Railway started construction in 1910 of the steel trestle
across the Red Deer River west of Springbrook near the small community
of Mintlaw, completing it in 1912. It is the second longest CPR steel trestle
in Alberta (next to Lethbridge) at 2,112 feet long and 110 feet high.
It last had a train in 1981, was abandoned in 1983 and
purchased by Red Deer County in 2009 as a historic resource.
Historic Railway Icons

Other Existing Icons
in Red Deer County
Delburne GTP Station, Water Tower, Caboose
Bowden CP Station at
Innisfail Historical Village
Penhold CP Wood Caboose
Historic Railway Icons

Other Existing Icons
in Central Alberta
Stettler CNor Station, Town & Country Museum
Roundhouse Interpretive
Centre at Big Valley
Mirror CN Boxcar & Caboose
Historic Railway Existing Attraction

Alberta Prairie
Train Excursions –
Stettler to Big Valley
(with potential to expand)
Replicated Historic Railway Icons

Existing Replicated Railway Stations
Reduced version of Wetaskiwin station
at Alberta Central Railway Museum
Lacombe offices
Penhold offices
The Forth Junction Project
Backgrounder
The Calgary-Edmonton Corridor
Passenger Rail Service 1954
The primary means of settlement and
economic development in Alberta
-- Canadian Pacific (60 years) and
Canadian National (40 years)
The Forth Junction Project
Backgrounder
Regional historical context
C&ER (CP), ACR (CP), CNWR (CN), L&BVER (CP)
The Forth Junction Project
Backgrounder
The evolution of Red Deer symbolizes
how the railway acted as the
catalyst for urban and rural
settlement, economic prosperity,
communication, social interaction
and the distribution of goods
throughout Western Canada
Railways built:
North-South:
Calgary-Edmonton Railway (CPR)
South of river 1890-1990
North of river 1891-1990
Canadian Northern Western (CNR)
North of river 1911-1941
South of river 1921-1961
North of river 1961-present
East-West:
Alberta Central Railway (CPR)
East of C&E RR 1912-1913
West of C&E RR 1912-1962
Forth Junction
the interchange between
the Red Deer-based Alberta Central Railway
and the Calgary and Edmonton Railway,
both operated by Canadian Pacific,
as the major evolutionary catalyst in the development of Central Alberta
Forth Junction
Representing
the north-south and
east-west flow of
settlement,
commerce,
industry,
agriculture,
transportation,
entrepreneurship
1955 photo of train
approaching Forth Junction
from the west at a point
south of current intersection
of Taylor Drive and 32 Street
with locator overlay
The Forth Junction Project
- promote downtown Red Deer as a
world-class centre for
the celebration of
the railway
that acted as a catalyst for the
settlement and economic development representative of Western Canada;
preserve and integrate the trail,
of Central Alberta;
- create an authentic railway-based
-
rail and transit heritage
miniature historical interactive representation
of the evolution of the city and region during significant landmark periods;
-
create a family-oriented activity and heritage park showing the
evolution of ground transportation
past, present and future in the Red Deer area;
-
publish a book on the history of railways of Central Alberta
The Forth Junction Project
A
bold vision
for a dual venue
world-class major attraction
for the Red Deer area with
2 attractors
unique in Canada
to celebrate the region as a
distribution and transportation hub
The Forth Junction Project
2 Unique Major Attractors
plus
3 Supplementary Unique Attractors:

Riverlands Transpo Gathering Centre

Rail Station & Transit Heritage Resort

Forth/Tuttle-Mintlaw-Sylvan Lake Recreation Corridor

Alberta Central Historical Model Rail Museum

Replication 1/8 size of Jubilee 3001 ‘The Chinook’
Major Downtown Red Deer Multi-Use Attraction
& Family Nature Park
including historic ACR/CPR Mintlaw Steel Trestle
Miniature re-creation of railway and regional landmarks
The Forth Junction Project
 Major
Attractor 1
Riverlands Transpo Centre
Canada’s Only Entertainment-Heritage-Retail Centre
celebrating the evolution of Trails, Trains and Transit
The Forth Junction Project
 Riverlands
Transpo Centre
Distinctive Landmark and Regional Focal Point
big, bold, fun, magic, multi-activity, interactive, 1st class
Major Community and Visitor Attraction
Riverlands
Downtown Red Deer
The Forth Junction Project
 Riverlands
Transpo Centre
Major Community and Visitor Attraction
consistent with Greater Downtown Action Plan
Riverlands
Downtown Red Deer
Riverlands Transpo Centre

Dual Atrium
Entranceway
with Garden Railway
- large open 2 or 3 storey entranceway
- atrium
- garden railway
- water features
- ancient and settlement trail theme
opening up into the Roundhouse Gathering Area and Shopping Centre
Riverlands Transpo Centre

Community
Gathering Hall
- year-round community gathering centre
- adaptable central turntable-style stage
- large indoor open multi-use hall with natural light
- style of roundhouse and classic railway station
Riverlands Transpo Centre
 Retail
and
Service Centre
- 4-storey shopping centre
- overlooking Community Gathering Hall
- highly visible from the main entrance
- primary economic generator for the operational
sustainability of the entire centre
Riverlands Transpo Centre

Tower Observation Restaurant
- 8-storey observation tower in the form of a stylized grain elevator
(the skyline landmark of the prairies for 100 years)
- upper observation deck for viewing the downtown and river valley
- mid-level restaurant with a view on all sides of the city landscape
Riverlands Transpo Centre

Distribution & Transit Heritage Centre
featuring
trails,
trains
& transit
1885-1985
- stagecoach travel along the C & E Trail
- Red Deer as a major rail distribution centre of Alberta
- glory days of inter-city passenger train travel
- evolution of urban and inter-urban public transit
Riverlands Transpo Centre
 Human
Mobility Interactive, Educational
Amusement Park
- year-round entertainment
and educational activity
area for children and adults
- transportation theme park
- interactive activities that teach the principles of
the evolution of human mobility
Riverlands Transpo Centre

Centre for Future
Sustainable Transportation
- options and opportunities for the future
movement of people and goods in a
responsible, environmentally-friendly
and sustainable way
- including the potential for high-speed
inter-urban rail, regional rapid transit and multi-use highways
Alexander Way

Transit and Pedestrian Corridor
transportation theme – Riverlands to Recreation Park
railway-themed crossing of Taylor Drive
Shuttle Service

Downtown Alexander Way
Rail-Themed Shuttle Service
local transit, rubber-tired trains and shuttles for both adults and children to transport
people along Alexander Way through the historic downtown east to Alexandra Park as well
as west to Bower Ponds
Regional Tours

Regional Shuttles and
Heritage and Culture Tours
- regional transit, Westerner Park, Red Deer College, city centre and the
Railway Station and Transit Heritage Resort and family nature park,
- transit connections to the airport and future high-speed rail terminal
- tour buses connecting local and regional tourist and heritage attractions
The Forth Junction Project

Major Attractor 2
Rail Station & Transit Heritage Resort
and Family Nature Park
The Forth Junction Project

Rail Station & Transit Heritage Resort
and Family Nature Park
close to active CP Railway line
with links to regional
trail systems
Canada’s only heritage railway station overnight accommodation village
Rail Station & Transit Heritage Resort
& Family Nature Park

Restoration or Replication of
Former Railway Stations
as Lodging and Tourist Services including Bed and Breakfast
Former
stations
as private
residences
Grand Trunk Pacific (CN) Ardley Station
in farmer’s field east of Red Deer
Potential Replicated
Historic Railway Icons

Replication of Significant Historic
Railway Stations in Proposed Heritage Resort
as Lodging and Tourist Services including Bed and Breakfast
Innisfail
Red Deer
Sylvan Lake
Rocky Mtn House
Sylvan Lake
The Forth Junction Project

Attractor 3
Proposed Forth/Tuttle-Mintlaw-Sylvan Lake
Recreation
Linear Park
Acquire the original privately-owned,
historic Alberta Central Railway right-of-way between Red Deer County Centre
and the Mintlaw steel trestle west of Springbrook for a future linear park
The Forth Junction Project

Proposed
Forth/TuttleMintlawSylvan Lake
Recreation
Linear Park
View of ACR/CPR Mintlaw steel trestle
used from 1912 to 1981
relative to former rail corridor
which curves to the northeast
in the top half of the photo
The Forth Junction Project

Future ACR Trail
Recreation Linear Park
Long term, Red Deer County, in its Open Spaces Master Plan, has identified
the Alberta Central Railway right of way as a possible linear park and
recreational trail linking Red Deer and Sylvan Lake, the biggest challenges
being the crossing of Highway 11 and adjacent landowners
The Forth Junction Project
 Attractor
4
Alberta Central
Historical
Model Rail Museum
Alberta Central Historical
Model Rail Project

1892 The beginnings of a regional
distribution centre

1913 The headiness of rail and municipal expansion;
the building of the ACR and CNWR

1939 The glory of passenger service;
the region prepares for war

1955 A time of transition from steam to diesel and the
start of passenger service decline
1986 A time of modernization and preparation for rail relocation
 The future The revival of passenger rail

and regional transportation
The Forth Junction
Historical Model Rail Project

Historic Downtown Red Deer Scenes
1912 photo of Canadian Pacific Roundhouse,
Turntable and Water Tower in Red Deer,
which were located until the mid 1950s
at the current southeast corner of
Taylor Drive and Ross Street
1955 photo of Canadian National Passenger Station
built around 1921, closed by 1960,
which was located at the current site
of the downtown Co-op Shopping Centre
The Forth Junction
Historical Model Rail Project

Historic Downtown Red Deer Scenes
Gaetz & Ross 1910
CPR rail yard Red Deer 1955
Alberta & Arlington Hotels 1909
Forth Junction Project

Attractor 5
1/8 size Replication of the
Jubilee 4-4-4 3001 ‘The Chinook’
Forth Junction Project

1/8 size Replication of the
Jubilee 4-4-4 3001 ‘The Chinook’
3001 (the ‘Chinook’) was one of only 5 locomotives of this class designed by CPR
specifically for ‘high-speed’ inter-city passenger service including Calgary-Edmonton from
1936 to 1955. This class established the speed record of 181 km/h (112.5mi/hr) in 1937
that was not broken until 1976. All 5 locomotives were scrapped.
The Forth Junction Project
2 Unique Major Attractors
plus
3 Supplementary Unique Attractors:

Riverlands Transpo Gathering Centre

Rail Station & Transit Heritage Resort

Forth/Tuttle-Mintlaw-Sylvan Lake Recreation Corridor

Alberta Central Historical Model Rail Museum

Replication of Jubilee 3001 ‘The Chinook’
Major Downtown Red Deer Multi-Use Attraction
& Family Nature Park
including historic ACR/CPR Mintlaw Steel Trestle
Miniature re-creation of railway and regional landmarks
The Forth Junction
Project Phase 1
Destination and Management Study
for Phase 1 Riverlands Transpo Centre Concept
funding
The Forth Junction
Project
A Celebration of the Red Deer Region
as a major distribution and transit centre
in the economic development of Central Alberta
representing the settlement and growth of Western Canada
a visionary multi-venue major attraction proposed by the
www.ForthJunction.com