Â鶹APP

Canmore by RAF-YYC –

Top Ten Unbelievable Facts about Canmore, Alberta

Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada named officially in 1981. The town is located approximately 81 km West of Calgary City, ( a city in  West Canadian Province) and near Banff National Park( Canada’s oldest national park established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park)

The town’s population of 14, 798 as of the 2020 census, made it the ninth-largest town in Alberta, Canada. Be sure to visit the town but before that, here are the top ten unbelievable facts about Canmore Town in Alberta. 

1. The town was named after Malcolm III of Scotland

Canadian Pacific Railway Station by shankar s. –

In 1884, the town was officially named Canmore by Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron of Strathcona and Mount Royal. Smith was also the co-founder and director of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Alexander Smith named the town after Malcolm III of Scotland who ruled Scotland from 1058 to 1093. The king was nicknamed Canmore which literally is “big head” meaning “great chief”

2. Its first mine was opened in 1887

Queen Victoria –

To open the number 1 coal mining in Canmore, Alberta, was actually a period of one year after Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland had issued a coal mining charter to Canmore.

To be precise, the mining charter was given to the Canadian Anthracite Coal Company. The company won the mining charter because other companies such as Canmore Mines Ltd had closed down. Shifting markets were the reason why other companies closed down leaving people unemployed.

3. Canmore hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics

Calgary by Rob Hodgkins –

When Canmore Mines Ltd ceased production, 120 miners were left unemployed. Canmore’s economic future seemed drab with fears of the closure of the town being dissolved. However, the announcement in the early 1980s that Calgary would be hosting the 1988 Winter Olympics brought hope to the people of the town.

It was the first Winter Olympic Games to be held for 16 days like the counterpart Summer Olympic Games. Skiing events were held west of the city at the Nakiska ski resort in Kananaskis Country and the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park, Canmore.

4. Canmore has one of the oldest hotels 

Canmore Hotel was built in 1890, six years before Canmore Town was officially named. The hotel was built on the main street of Canmore. It received a heritage designation in 2015. It was also renovated in 2015 after it received a heritage designation so as to restore it.

The hotel celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2010. The Hotel years active 2021 is 131 years. The hotel is a municipal historic site. As the sole survivor, Canmore Hotel is one of the few remaining landmarks in Canmore mining history.

5. Canmore has only one museum

Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre is the only museum in Canmore. It acts as the custodian of the Town’s heritage, maintaining and preserving its artifacts, archives, and builder and interpreter of the town’s heritage through exhibitions.

The museum was opened in 1984, the year when it was incorporated under The Societies Act of the Province of Alberta. It is a registered Charity and presents over 120 years’ worth of local history. It has internationally recognized definitions and standards of a museum.

6. Canmore has captured the attention of the film industry

The Town has a film permitting process in place to help review and manage proposed film productions within the municipality. Many feature films have been shot in the Canmore area.

Some films such as The Last of Us, Brokeback Mountain, The Assassination of Jesse, Open Range, The Edge, Shanghai Noon by Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, and Owen Wilson, Mystery Alaska, and Snow Dogs have been shot in Canmore Town.

7. It is a town full of Festivals and annual events

People in Canmore adhere to all festivals and annual events. During these events, it is when they come together as a community and celebrate the festivals together. Canmore enjoys celebrating many things including itself.

Canmore festivals and annual events are The award-winning food festival, The 24 Hours of Adrenaline, The Canmore Winter Carnival’ The Rocky Mountain Ski Challenge, The Rock and Fossil Clinic, The Canmore Miners’ Day Reunion, The Canmore Folk Music Festival, The Canmore Highland games, Mozart on the Mountain, The annual Festival of eagles and others.

The Canmore Folk Music Festival which is held annually is the longest-running folk music festival in Alberta. It is also one of the finest of all the festivals held in Canmore. It celebrated its 30th year in 2007.

8. Canmore is connected by major transportation routes

Bow River by jockrutherford – Wikimedia commons

Canmore is bisected by Trans-Canada Highway which is located on the Canadian Pacific Railway. River Bow also runs through Canmore. The river apart from its provision of fish for food, aids transportation. 

Linkage of the town to various transportation routes has influenced the town’s tourism-based economy and historical mining industry.

9. Canmore has a green corridor

A green corridor is called a wildlife corridor. A green corridor is an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures. The corridor enables animals such as bears, cougars, wolves, and elk to move between habitat patches. 

The corridors make Canmore environmentally friendly as animals can find food, escape predators, breed, give birth, and establish territories. The corridors though have their disadvantage for human beings, especially since, since people have to walk for one and half hours across the corridors.

10. Canmore Town experiences a mild climate

Canmore surrounded by mountains by Sharon Hahn Darlin –

Canmore is a sure place to visit and experience its earliest features like The Canadian Pacific Railway and Canmore Hotel. Also, there are other fancy hotels that are well equipped to keep visitors comfortable. Be sure to experience all the facts as stated in this blog because what we offer in the article as a team are all sure facts. Visit Canmore, Alberta.