1. business and industrial
2. energy
3. coal

CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE
PERMANENT EXHIBIT CONCEPT
February 27, 2015
Photo by Richard Lang
“Just opposite our camp, there is a mountain with three peaks
which form a striking group, while further up the valley there is
a cross valley or nick bounded by a very lofty precipice.”
James Hector describing Whiteman’s Pass, August, 1858
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND ..............................................................
10
2.0 THEMES AND MESSAGES ............................................................
12
3.0 FLOOR PLAN AND CIRCULATION ................................................
18
4.0 DESIGN APPROACH ......................................................................
22
APPENDIX A – INTERPRETIVE MATRIX ..............................................
32
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
3
“Canmore was a great discovery,… excellent for sketching…
Wonderful mountains encircle the place just as they do Banff,
but it’s a western mining town… made up of log shacks and
stores with false fronts past which horses gallop.”
Kathleen Daly, 1942
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
“the monopoly formerly enjoyed by the Pennsylvania coal fields
no longer exists and on the grounds of high empirical interest, it
cannot be other than matter for congratulation that so valuable
and so indispensable a source of smokeless fuel should have
been discovered within the British Dominions of North America.”
The London England Morning Post, September 27, 1889
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
7
“A camp of miners, of all nationalities, is not calculated to be free
from broils and disturbances in any County. By its [the NWMP] help
our camps have been orderly, life and property have been safe, and
both Canmore and Anthracite are pleasant places to live in, so far as
law and order are concerned, as the best policed city in the Union.”
H.W. McNeill, September 20, 1897
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
1.0 Project Background
Project Background and Goal
The goal of this project is to develop a permanent exhibit about
Canmore’s history and geoscience at the Canmore Museum and
Geoscience Centre (CMAGS). The exhibition will replace a previous
permanent ten-year-old exhibit that was destroyed by a flood in
January, 2014 in Canmore’s Civic Centre where the museum is
located. Although the flood was a disaster for the Museum, it also
creates an opportunity to tell the story of Canmore’s mountains
and community through a new, well-researched and well-designed
exhibition. A recent survey of visitors to the Museum clearly
indicates that visitors want to see a new exhibit that includes more
information about the history of the Canmore community. They are
also interested in the relationship of geoscience to the community.
A contemporary exhibition about the community’s history and
geoscience, particularly one based on solid research and design, will
bring the community back to the Museum. Canmore has 13,077
permanent residents and 3,890 non-permanent residents, making
it the largest community in the Alberta Rockies. The exhibition will
also inform Canmore and other Bow Valley residents about the most
important aspects of their history.
The exhibition will begin in geologic time to tell the story of mountain
building and fossils. It will then integrate geoscience into the past
century of Canmore’s history, focusing on coal mining, climbing,
and flooding. It will also tell the story of the community including
local business and tourism, health and hospitals and education. Into
this story the theme of lifestyle will be woven including sport, the
1988 Olympic Winter Games, and the arts. All of these themes are
supported within the Museum’s collection.
The objectives of this project are to:
The project’s impact on heritage in Alberta is in promoting the history
and geoscience of an area that is visited by thousands of tourists,
of which approximately 16,000 currently visit the museum annually.
This proposed exhibition will attract additional tourists to the
museum. The educational value of this project to Albertans, including
residents of and visitors to Canmore, will be the new information
and interpretation of Canmore’s unique history and geoscience in the
exhibition.
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
Objectives
› Improve understanding of how Canmore is impacted
by its unique location and geoscience
› Research some of the amazing historic figures
who made Canmore what it is today
› Explore the relationships between Canmore’s
rich history as it relates to geoscience
› Create a more detailed picture of the
individuals related to Canmore’s history
› Add to the knowledge of artifacts related to Canmore’s
history and geoscience in the collection. The Museum has
an excellent collection of mining artifacts, but there is little
information in the records about many of these objects. Part
of our research for the exhibition will be to interview miners to
gain a better understanding of how these objects were used,
who used them and why they are important to our history.
› Highlight through design the unique aspects of
Canmore’s community history and geoscience.
› Ensure that the future exhibition is flood-resistant (e.g.
movable - raised on casters or other design solutions)
› Ensure that all exhibit mill-work and structures are
constructed of materials with high fire ratings.
Photo by Danel Patterson
2.0 Themes and Messages
The Big Idea
From Coal to Community
As ancient oceans receded, they left on their sandy shores evidence
of life etched now in rock. The earth folded and heaved its way
upward to form the mountains and valleys that outlined the base for
ice to carve and sculpt them into the Rundle Range and the Three
Sisters, receding over time to leave the U-shaped Bow Valley in its
wake.
When the coal mines closed, Canmore dozed for a while but artists
began to settle in, awakened to the beauty of the surrounding peaks.
Families who once worked the mines established quarries that
brought to market the Rundle Rock and other stone of the nearby
mountains. Settlers continued to come from every continent on the
globe to work, play, and create.
As First Nations entered the Valley to gather material for their
bows, they painted the rocks so we remember their passage. Early
explorers passed through, leaving reports and maps that hinted at
the valley’s treasures. Few stayed until the black riches beneath
the surface came to light and the Canadian Pacific Railway turned
to Canmore for the high quality coal that made their locomotives
breathe.
Then the Olympic Flame illuminated for the world the sport and
recreation possibilities that locals took for granted. Skiers and
climbers took to the peaks and established a community within a
community, continuing to host world-class events.
At Anthracite and Bankhead, mines were born and died, but
Canmore survived to excavate the coal that fueled trains, heated
homes and lit the way to build a community. The settlers who came
to work the mines needed health care, hospitals and schools for
their families, so the mine owners provided them to support their
workers. The first businesses were the company stores to serve the
miners who lived in tiny homes built by their employers.
Powered by Canmore coal, the trains ran through the Rockies,
bringing the first tourists to the Bow Valley and transporting coal to
market. The North West Mounted Police arrived to keep the peace.
Wars came and went, the community grew, and Calgary Power built
dams to harness the Bow. The Trans-Canada Highway replaced rails
as the main artery across the country.
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
Tourists came like moths to a flame and the community grew and
grew. Calgarians came for the weekend and stayed for the rest of
their lives. Developers developed along the creeks and the hillsides
and attracted an ebb and flow of part-time residents who bring with
them their considerable talents and resources.
Neither the challenges of rapid growth nor disastrous floods can
deter the hardy people who choose to settle here. As the community
grows, the heart of the Big Head shines brighter.
2.0 Themes and Messages
Themes and Sub-themes
Introduction
› First Nations
› Pioneering Routes
The Mountains Around Us
›
›
›
›
Remains of the Past (Fossils)
What it Takes to Build a Mountain
Creating Coal
Wildlife
Surveyors, Scientists and Prospectors
› Exploring the Bow
› Surveyors and scientists
Mining the Depths
›
›
›
›
14
Breaking Ground (Anthracite)
The Next Steps: Bankhead and Georgetown
Canmore the Survivor
All Eyes on Safety
KEI SPACE DESIGN
Making a Life in a New Land
›
›
›
›
Laying Claims
Working on the Railway
Working the Mines
The Canmore Miners Union
Rock and Cement
› Western Canada Coal and Cement Company (Exshaw)
› Quarries
Controlling the Waters
›
›
›
›
›
Bringing Power to the Valley
History of Flooding
Causes of Flooding
Mitigation
Stories of the Flood
By Rail and Road
›
›
›
›
›
Supplies to lay the Track (Logging)
Rails Reach the Valley
Canmore Coal
Working on the Railroad
Spur Lines
› Trans-Canada Highway
Becoming a Community
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
Townside vs. Mineside
Canmore, The Big Head
Local Business
Health and Hospitals
Education
Feeding the Spirit
An End to Lawlessness (NWMP/RCMP)
Going to War
Where Life is Worth Living
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
Establishing the Trails and Scaling the Peaks
Women Adventurers
Snow and Rock
Sports
1988 Olympic Winter Games
The Arts
Capturing Canmore in Words and Images
Imaginary Mountains
Connected to Calgary
New Developments and Part-time Residents
Visitors
Temporary Exhibit space
Open Storage
Please refer to Appendix A for detailed information
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
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2.0 Themes and Messages
Thematic Organization
The exhibits planned for the Canmore Museum Permanent Gallery
have been arranged with careful consideration to the thematic
relationship between them. Coincidentally, the themes are grouped
by similar time periods and follow a loose chronological sequence.
The adjacencies shown below illustrate the connections between the
stories and the development of the narrative.
From Coal to Community
The Mountains
Around Us
Introduction
Entrance
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
Rock &
Cement
Mining the
Depths
Surveyors
& Scientists
By Rail
& Road
Controlling
the Waters
Making a Life
in a New Land
Temporary
Exhibit Space
Becoming a
Community
Open
Storage
Where Life
is Worth Living
3.0 Floor Plan & Circulation
Visitor Flow
The second half of the gallery is wider than the first. This will be
advantageous in that it will create an open space where school
groups can be gathered, programming can take place, special events
can be held and temporary exhibits can be displayed.
Visitors will enter and exit the space through a dramatic recreated
mine shaft that will be dimly lit and will have some special sound
effects to add character and ambiance.
Around the far end of the gallery there will be open storage units
displaying some of the gems of the collection. These shelving units
will follow the shape of the walls, maximizing the space available.
The exhibits will flank the side walls of the gallery looking inwards to
the centre space. Interlaced together the stories will unfold as the
visitor advances into this space.
At the far end of the room, the double doors will provide controlled
access to back of house collections, prep room and storage.
The Mountains
Around Us
Mining the
Depths
Rock &
Cement
Controlling
the Waters
ENTRANCE
Surveyors
& Scientists
Entrance
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
Open Storage
Temporary / Flexible
Exhibit Space
By Rail
& Road
Making a Life
in a New Land
Becoming a
Community
Where Life
is Worth Living
Open Storage
Introduction
Back of
House
The natural configuration of the permanent exhibit space is narrow
and long. The concept we have developed will take advantage of this
layout to establish the overall design approach and flexibility that is
required for the exhibits.
Open Storage
4.0 Design Approach
Character
Through the use of artifacts and design elements, the stories will
come alive. Stories and artifacts will be highlighted and enhanced
with large-scale graphics. Select use of theatrical lighting and sound
effects will bring the stories to life. Hidden drawers and interactive
elements will initiate people’s curiosity to learn and discover more.
The exhibit space will incorporate a special character of its own
that speaks to the surrounding geography and physical attributes
that make Canmore such a unique place. The end result will be a
space that comes together naturally, where visitors can immerse
themselves while learning and exploring.
The exhibit space will be reflective of the valley and mountains
around it. The length of the gallery will be flanked by exhibits that
represent the mountains that oversee the town. Through the use of
multi-faceted exhibits we will produce an exploratory environment
that reveals the secrets behind the events that unfolded in the
different eras that tell our stories.
The centre space will be open and inviting, representing the Bow
Valley. This space will be a flexible area that can accommodate
20
KEI SPACE DESIGN
programming, school groups, and temporary exhibits.
The design language will be representative of shapes of the
mountains and geological features within them. The space will be
lively yet dramatic and the exhibits, although historic in their content,
will embody modern ideas and contemporary activities to engage
visitors.
To make the experience more interactive, we will explore and
consider all types of learning styles translated into self discovery
exhibits that include elements such as discovery drawers, puzzles,
flip charts, mechanical interactives, as well as artifact reproductions
that can actually be held and manipulated by visitors (without posing
any safety or security hazards).
To complement the exploratory exhibits mentioned above, the
exhibits will be designed to be able to accommodate expansion
and use of digital technology. This way the implementation can be
phased and the content will appeal to visitors who want different
types of learning experiences.
Multi-layered messaging adds depth to exhibits
Abstract shapes inspired in the story elements
Publicly accessible artifact storage
Theming to complement interpretation
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
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4.0 Design Approach
Vision
Personal Connections
The Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre has an amazing
opportunity to create a visitor centric, holistic and exciting experience
that encompasses the personal stories and adventures of the
people that have shaped the Town of Canmore. This experience will
be exciting and innovative, appealing to a diverse public. It will be
shaped to provide an experience that is not available through the
on-line world. This immersive experience will be crafted in a way that
provides flexibility within the existing building.
One of the most effective ways to tell a story is through the
voices and experiences of those who lived the events. We will
communicate stories in a personal and compelling way through the
authentic cast of characters who lived the history we are interpreting.
The voices of the personalities, their successes and their challenges,
will come to life through engaging narrative, powerful imagery,
emotional recordings and compelling letters. These “first person
accounts” will transport the visitor through time, showcasing the
various aspects that make Canmore such a unique place.
“With the closing of the mine, the question
lingered around the town, “Now what?”
The History of Canmore, Rob Alexander
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
Creating the Experience
The concept presented for the Canmore Museum and Geoscience
Centre establishes a direction to develop an immersive experience
that will stimulate the visitor’s senses while conveying the stories of
the region.
How will we do this?
The stories of Canmore are challenging due to their diverse and
complex nature. However, there are many strategies we can use
to create an impressive and memorable experience, including the
following interpretive strategies:
› To reinforce a strong and consistent message related to
the hardy nature of the people that built Canmore
› To strongly connect each story to the site by
using iconic artifacts and imagery
› As much as possible, to introduce the stories “in their own
words” (i.e. using the words of the historic figures)
› To follow Beverly Serrell’s guidelines with
regard to length and size of exhibit text
› To use colours, patterns, photos and typography
in the design to evoke emotion
› To include participatory and interactive elements that are
easy to use and that encourage people to explore
› To incorporate the land and river including the
geology, as a contextual element of each story
› To present as many sides of the story as possible, both
positive & negative, while maintaining a neutral voice
› To layer information for multiple audiences,
encouraging in-depth learning
› To provide interactive, yet contemplative learning strategies
› To keep a balance of interpretive environments,
opportunities for exploration, and interactive elements
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
23
4.0 Design Approach
Visual Studies
The following imagery has inspired the design look and feel for the
exhibit graphic concepts.
Patterns and geological formations
Colour filled landscapes and artwork
24
KEI SPACE DESIGN
Landscapes and wildlife
Transportation and industry
People and lifestyle
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
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4.0 Design Approach
Graphic Look & Feel
The themes and subthemes have been strategically grouped to
create natural adjacencies within the space, relevance between the
stories and synergy between the colours and graphic elements. This
strategy is reflected in the design with the following groupings:
Nature and Natural Resources
›
›
›
›
The Mountains Around Us
Mining the Depths
Rock and Cement
Controlling the Waters
Colours
PANTONE
P 161-15 C
Overarching Primary Colours
Technical infomation and Transportation
› Surveyors, Scientists, and Prospectors
› By Rail and by Road
PANTONE
P 121-14 C
Community and Lifestyle
› Making a New Life in a New Land
› Becoming a Community
› Where Life is Worth Living
Relevant Visual Communication examples
26
KEI SPACE DESIGN
PANTONE
P 27-7 C
PANTONE
PANTONE
P 174-16 C
P 5-1 C
Typography
Type Setting
Selected fonts are timeless, yet representative of the era
and very easy to read.
Heading
Flange
Normal Caps
Sub-heading
Source Sans Pro
Regular Caps
Precis
Source Sans Pro
Light
Body
Source Sans Pro
Light
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890
THE MOUNTAINS AROUND US
REMAINS OF THE PAST
Thrust by tectonic forces to mountaintops,
remains of ancient swamps and seas are
frozen in rock.
BY RAIL AND ROAD
TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY
The Trans-Canada Highway replaced rails as
the main artery across the country.
Decorative
Vintage elements distinguish groupings
WHERE LIFE IS WORTH LIVING
ESTABLISHING TRAILS AND SCALING THE PEAKS
Lawrence Grassi came to Canada to make a
living in the mines, but he left his legacy in the
trails he built and the peaks he pioneered.
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
27
4.0 Design Approach
Graphic Look & Feel
The overall graphic approach is inspired by the visual studies, colour
palette, typography and graphic element selections. Combined
together they create compositions that will vary from exhibit to
exhibit, but will have the same common elements.
The overall direction will set the tone and manner for the two and
three dimensional attributes of the design. The colours and specific
details share commonalities based on the themes and subthemes.
The structures and exhibit support elements will play a background
role to the overall graphic treatments. Throughout the exhibits,
we will incorporate discovery drawers, puzzles, and mechanical
interactive elements to help demonstrate geoscientific subject
matter. We will also provide for opportunities to include audiovisual
elements that will assist visitors in visualizing more complex
messages as well as personal stories.
28
KEI SPACE DESIGN
MINING THE DEPTHS
CANMORE THE SURVIVOR
Innovation kept the mines open when CPR
no longer needed coal, securing Japanese
markets.
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ma natio volorit omnis doluptae
pedis in conemquos aut qui to
optatur? Accus, vellab id quaepudaepro dolest ut earum inctur?
Tempor molupta volores resequiam
sam, to tenimil luptatio dolorec
abores nullorerum dolupta volor
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elia se suntiunt autem et ut dolupid
undantibus doluptias etur? Accus
dendit quia coreris dolorro odio.
Itatur? Torepta tibusci lluptaquid
BY RAIL AND ROAD
WHERE LIFE IS WORTH LIVING
WORKING ON THE RAILROAD
SNOW AND ROCK
The locomotive known as The Goat was one of
Canmore’s most familiar sights as it chugged
back and forth along the spur line from the
mines to CPR’s main line.
Skiers and climbers took to the peaks and
established a community within a community,
continuing to host world-class events.
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Catios co hil coneniae
cons viditiam quost L.
Mules clatqui ssimus
ius,Ahaciem factatanum
tem, Catra vit vid con
sendam sit. Udene morbi
critraequam quos.
Natil untre mentura esserrivat que iam
publiculat.
Lariore peris revit, Palabenes mortursum
dera nonsuli cavem, se alarit caete tuam
hocae taturo niqueme naressignam is maxim
Lest omnihil ent, inctio magni blat
lautet atur aut velenihit unt quas
dis eumqui aut et veniendus volorib
ustrum restis suscimil magnam
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at volorit, cusdaerio ex eosam, sinus
magnimu sandellor abo. Et qui
ducia cum eventius.
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etur, sit aut de velestium es et lam
quodici offictum voles eaturi as evelicia seratio estoratem consequam,
nim veris et est explici llabores
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
29
4.0 Design Approach
Permanent Gallery Exhibit Elements
The new permanent gallery at the Canmore Museum and
Geoscience Centre will include a number of exhibit elements that will
create an immersive, interactive and dynamic learning experience for
visitors.
Exhibit design highlights:
A -
Large format typographical treatments
B -
Digital media
The use of varied delivery media, differing levels of depth, mixed
graphic techniques together with use of the collections and artifacts
will create an exhibit that appeals to a wide range of audiences,
presents opportunities for the content to be continuously updated,
and encourages a high level of flexibility for school programs and
guided tours.
C -
Interpretive graphic panels
D -
Iconic artifacts
E -
Large scale photo-murals
F -
Digital reproductions of archival material
The spatial arrangement and design has therefore been proposed to
provide flexibility and mutlifunctional versatility. This way the space
will not only be a museum. It can be a space for school groups,
events, receptions among other possibilities.
G -
Discovery drawers and activity based exhibits
H -
Open storage for artifact collection
I -
Movable exhibit display cases
J -
Flood and fire resistant exhibitions
K -
Multifunction open space
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KEI SPACE DESIGN
Concept Rendering of Permanent Gallery
A
C
F
H
B
D
E
I
G
J
K
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
31
Appendix A
Interpretive Matrix
CANMORE MUSEUM AND GEOSCIENCE CENTRE: INTERPRETIVE MATRIX
Theme: Introduction
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Iconic Artifacts
First Nations
Following the tracks of giant bison,
mammoths, and bighorn sheep, paleoIndian hunters moved through these
mountain passes for the past 11,000 years,
to trade, hunt and quarry rock for tools,
leaving behind them evidence of their of
camps and kill sites.
1,000-year-old pictographs at sites such as Grassi
Lakes and Grotto Canyon were places where
individuals went to seek guidance from the spirits
through their vision quest.
Pictographs as contextual design
elements
Pioneering
Routes
Only 1000 years ago, the First People who
came to seek guidance from the spirits left
their mark on the rocks.
Theme: The Mountains Around Us
Parks Canada uses modern technology, Enhanced
Digital Photography Software Technology
(Destretch) to allow the proper capture and assist
Elders’ interpretation of these rock paintings
Photographic images of how these
pictographs can be enhanced
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Iconic Artifacts
Remains of the
Past (Fossils)
Thrust by tectonic forces to mountaintops,
remains of ancient swamps and seas are
frozen in rock
N/A Or we may be able to find a scientist related to
the discovery of fossils near Canmore
Petrified cypress tree trunk
The Three Sisters
Rock and mineral samples
Coal
Coal Samples
Creating Coal
Wildlife
Plants compressed in ancient bogs and
mountains folded to turn the earth upside
down created the coal that would make
Canmore famous the world over.
Encounters with wildlife are part of living in
Canmore a – humans can learn how to
share the area safely with wildlife.
32
Brief Introduction to long history of First Nations
in Bow Valley with particular emphasis on the
pictographs at Grassi Lakes and Grotto Canyon
Explanation of how technology is used to
enhance pictographs
Father Pierre Jean de Smet
Reverend Rundle
Sub-theme:
What it Takes to
Build a
Mountain
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Over 300 fossils to choose from
Moose skull, or two
Photos
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Visible Storage
Focus on the stories of the stump
Identification exercise with Visible Storage
Audio-visual piece of the Three Sisters telling us
how they came to be
Children’s activity TBD
Reproduce information from existing plaques
with a question on one side and answer on other
– need to locate
Use human wildlife encounter stories gleaned
from old newspapers to create an interactive
game about what to do or not do when
encountering wildlife
KEI SPACE DESIGN
1 Theme: Surveyors, Scientists and Prospectors
Exploring the
Bow
Surveyors and
Scientists
Laying claims
While searching for a route across the
Rockies, David Thompson was the first to
describe the beauty of the Bow Valley.
(Quote from his journal) All that remains of
his passing is the Hudson Bay Company’s
Old Bow Fort.
With James Hector of the Palliser
Expedition began the systematic scientific
surveys of the Canadian Rockies.
Following Palliser’s first foray came Dr.
George Mercer Dawson of Canada’s
Geological Survey. These expeditions came
seeking routes and resources but were so
taken with the Canadian Rockies that they
left a legacy of photos and maps
documenting geography, natural history,
and geology.
After discovering the mineral hot springs in
Banff, railway workers William McCardell
and Frank McCabe stumbled upon an
exposed seam of high-quality coal on
Whiteman’s (now Canmore) Creek.
David Thompson
Have an illustration done of a map that
clearly indicates where David Thompson
made his observation, his route into the
Rockies and Old Bow Fort.
Use quote from Thompson’s journal.
Map: a 1933 map showing geological
features / formations of the Canmore area
Maybe use poem on Peakfinder
Map showing Old Bow Fort as entrance to the
Bow Valley and important stopping place for
travellers from the prairies.
Palliser Expedition
In 1883-84, Dr. George Mercer Dawson while
conducting the first Government of Canada survey
of the Rockies to determine the courses of the
major rivers and the locations of the main peaks
and passes, he also detailed its geography, natural
history and geology through various points in the
Rockies. A re-photography project of Dawson’s
photos in the Rockies is currently being undertaken
by Cliff White.
McCardell and McCabe,
Compass & Case for a theodolite
Dawson’s photos
Document: legal papers, transfer of land
between McCardell and Frank Caswell
Could present his map as a digital reproduction
as well as his photographs and Cliff White’s Rephotography.
Audio visual piece with re-photography
The coal-mining story should be the primary
story within the exhibit, as we have many
artifacts to support it and it is a very big part of
Canmore’s history.
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
2 33
Appendix A
Interpretive Matrix Continued
Theme: Mining the Depths
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Iconic Artifact
Breaking
Ground
(Anthracite)
Though not the first company to mine coal
in the Bow Valley, The Canadian Anthracite
Coal Company (CACC) had the longest
connection to Canmore. Incorporated in
1886 based upon a Royal Charter granted
by Queen Victoria, the CACC was given
permission to mine coal and develop its
lands at Canmore and Anthracite.
McLeod Stewart
Photos: 1895 at Anthracite Mine
Canmore Mines advertising photo
Hobart W. McNeill’s friendship with William
Cornelius Van Horne paved the way toward
a better deal for Canmore’s coal.
Hobart W. McNeill.
In the mid-1880s, Charles Carey’s
innovation enabled CPR’s locomotive
fireboxes to burn Canmore’s coal.
Charles Carey, CPR locomotive engineer stationed
in Canmore
The Next Steps:
Bankhead
The Next Steps:
Georgetown
Bankhead was a promise broken by the
CPR, to McNeill and to the miners. It was a
model community established by the CPR in
1903 with 100 houses, water, sewage
systems and electricity, a business district
and a Catholic Church. When the miners
went on strike in 1922, the company closed
the mine and dismantled the town.
Another well-planned model community
developed by the Canmore Navigation and
Coal Company in 1912, Georgetown’s 40plus homes had electricity and running
water.
34
Case of artifacts relating to Anthracite
Document charter for Anthracite
Various railway spikes and mine rail found
at Anthracite
Rock or coal specimen from Anthracite
Portrait of McNeill
Map: Plan of Mine at Anthracite.The H. W.
McNeill Coy Ltd. (others similar)
George M. Bird
Photos
Quote in vinyl on wall: “A locomotive driver or
fireman who cannot use Canmore coal will get
no employment with the CPR” William Cornelius
Van Horne
Maps/Plans: 1908 Bankhead (copy)
Contour Map: 1914, Georgetown Collieries
Pocket Watch: (ca. 1907) found at
Bankhead
Photos: Georgetown tipple in winter
The CACC was a syndicate of Canadian and
American businessmen including
McLeod Stewart, who served as the mayor of
Ottawa from 1887-1888 and his brothers Archibald
and John.
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
KEI SPACE DESIGN
3 Theme: Mining the Depths (cont)
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Iconic Artifact
Canmore the
Survivor
Typhoid waterlines
Archibald Stewart
Documents (copy): Archibald Stewart
history written in a letter to the
Shareholders of the Canadian Anthracite
Coal Company Limited
1906 Letters from Archibald Stewart
Lease for a home from the Canmore Coal
Co
Innovation kept the mines open when CPR
no longer needed coal, securing Japanese
markets.
William Wilson was instrumental in securing
the Japanese market for the Canmore
Mines Ltd.
In 1962, Walter Riva, Canmore-born mine
engineer, developed “Sputnik”, a high-temperature
plant that converted briquettes into coal.
William Wilson’s namesake, Wilson Mine, opened
in 1960.
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Perhaps an audio-visual piece on the history of
coal-mining narrated by actors playing the
various historic figures from McCabe through
Archibald Stewart, outlining the history of mining
in the region and the reasons Canmore
survived, unlike Anthracite, Georgetown and
Bankhead
Photos: Director of mine Archibald Stewart
ca. 1917
Oral Histories and photos: Hubman,
Kaleta, Smedley, Fitzgerald, Riva
Photos: ca. 1970,
Monorail installed in the Wilson Mine
Two men standing in Wilson Mine (Wilson
Seam)
W.M. Wilson, Exc. V. Pres. W.J. Riva Gen.
Mgr. N. Witham
An activity that demonstrates the “Sputnik”
process.
Blueprint: ca. 1960’s, Wilson Seam layout
All Eyes on
Safety
Michael Eliuk
Pick Axe: used by miner Rene Pinet in
Wilson Seam
Golden Cap Award: helmet and
documents for awards (Mike Eliuk, 1960)
Feature artifacts with explanation of their
function
Booklet: n.d., Canmore Mines safety
manual
Artifacts
Various miners hard hats, Respirator used
for mine rescues, Proto Breathing
Apparatus: used in mine resource, Water
Sprayer: for fire safety, used at Anthracite,
Methanometer
Photos: various group shots of safety
awards and committees
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
4 35
Appendix A
Interpretive Matrix Continued
Theme: Making a Life in a New Land (integrate into mining and railway story)
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Working on the
Railway
Working the
Mines
The railway and the mines drew workers
from around the world.
Due to institutionalized discrimination, the
situation for Chinese workers in the mines
was even more difficult than it was for other
immigrants.
Ha Ling climbed a peak to win a bet and after 100
years it finally bears his name.
Chinese workers
The Ramsay Family
Stephen Cherak
Finnish family?
Pit Ponies (do we have any specific stories of a
special pony or ponies?)
The Canmore
Miners Union
Iconic Artifact
Booklet: union, Agreement for wages.
Working conditions for BOYS, MEN and
CHINESE. May 1926
Bottle: Green glass, Chinese characters
on base, found at Georgetown
Photos: Chinatown No. 1 Mine Canmore
Documents: reproductions on disc of Bill
Ramsay's black book. Includes information
on members and organizations of the
Canmore community.
Oral History: collected for Centennial –
Cherak and Photos: wedding photos of Bill
& Maxine Cherak
Photo: 1920’s, Finnish acrobats at Finland
Hall at Mineside
Photo: Finnish ladies club working on
quilts?
Harness: light harness for surface ponies
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Image of Ha Ling Peak with story of its climb
and name change.
Booklet: n.d., Canmore Miners Union
Constitution
Documents and UMWofA booklets
Rubber Stamp; UMWofA local
Photos: various with union members and
Union Hall in background
Theme: Rock and Cement
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Iconic Artifact
Western
Canada Coal
and Cement
Company
(Exshaw)
Sir Sanford Fleming named Exshaw after
his son-in-law, E. William Exshaw. Both
Fleming and Exshaw helped establish the
Western Canada Cement and Coal
Company, now Lafarge.
Sir Sanford Fleming
Photos: of Exshaw from early years
Newspaper: n.d, Vol.6 No.139 Exshaw
Echo News
Rock / Sample: Exshaw 4-22-64-11-W5
Samples: Two core sample and two glass
containers of rock chips.
Blueprint: 1906, Western Canada Cement
& Coal, Proposed Workmen’s Cottages
Quarries
36
KEI SPACE DESIGN
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
5 Theme: Controlling the Waters (Damming and Flooding)
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Bringing
Power to the
Valley
Calgary Power built dams to harness the
Bow and other rivers. The Bow has become
the most engineered river in Canada.
History of
Flooding
Causes of
Flooding
Mitigation
Stories of the
Flood
Historic Figures
In the early days of Canmore’s settlement,
river flooding was a fact of life. Between
1883 and 1967, the Bow River flooded at
least 19 times. Many of these river floods
inundated the town with water. Mine Side
was often hardest hit.
In 2013 a different type of flooding occurred.
Instead of river flooding, it was the mountain
creeks that caused significant damage
throughout the community.
There are a several ways to mitigate risks,
both short and long term, active and
paasive
Iconic Artifact
Historic images (see flood exhibit)
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Illustrated maps showing dams and reservoirs
on Bow in Canmore area. Images of dams and
reservoirs
Use information and images from flood
exhibit
Use information and images from flood
exhibit
Use images and captions from flood exhibit to
tell the stories of
flooding in Canmore
Audio-visual piece – edit existing and add
historic context.throughout the town’s history
Theme: By Rail and Road (integrate into mining story)
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Supplies to lay
the Track
(Logging)
Rails Reach the
Valley
Canmore Coal
Colonel James Walker
Working on the
Railroad
Spur Lines
Hansen Family Need other examples
Trans-Canada
Highway
William Cornelius Van Horne
Sir Sanford Fleming/ Macoun
The locomotive known as The Goat was
one of Canmore’s most familiar sights as it
chugged back and forth along the spur line
from the mines to CPR’s main line.
The Trans-Canada Highway replaced rails
as the main artery across the country.
The Goat
Iconic Artifact
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Plan: Proposed Diversion of CPR Main
Line - Mile 77.6
Blueprint: CPR Plan Profile of Spur for
Canmore
A reference to The Goat in the exhibit referring
people to Calgary’s Heritage Park where it now
resides (could be part of a lift-up panel game)?
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
6 37
Appendix A
Interpretive Matrix Continued
Theme: Becoming a Community
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Townside vs.
Mineside
In the 1890s, two distinct communities grew,
on Townside between the railway and the
river, and Mineside, on the Bow River’s
west bank.
The Story of Canmore’s name
John McTavish
Canmore, The
Big Head
Local Business
Rundle Mountain Trading Company
Canmore Hotel - Mary Rodda
Blacksmith Lud Kamenka
Marra Family
Influenza Dr. Worthington
Health and
Hospitals
Education
Edna (Hill) Appleby
Norman Wait
Feeding the
Spirit
An End to
Lawlessness
(NWMP/RCMP)
Iconic Artifact
Ralph Connor
While in Canmore, Hobart W. McNeill was
instrumental in seeing Canmore had a
permanent detachment of the North West
Mounted Police.
Good examples of NWMP in Canmore?
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Audio-visual piece – business, community,
lifestyle
Photo: 1936 Mr & Mrs Worthington
3 Photos: NORMAN WAIT, Canmore
High School Math teacher c. 1925-1928
Artifacts
Hymn books
Pin: commemorative of 100 years for
Ralph Connor church
Cookbooks: a few years of cookbooks
with recipes from local congregation
(1950’s)
Wedding invitations (ca. 60’s & 70’s)
Focus on Canmore Model School – Maybe even
have a model of it?
Introduce in exhibit – tell main story in Barracks
The murder of Joseph Dafeo
Prohibition
Going to War
38
KEI SPACE DESIGN
bootleggers H.A. Rhodda, John Verdisa, John
Riva
WWI Stewart Lynch, Gid Broderick
Internee working in mine who settled in Canmore?
WW II The Rivas, Evan Lewis family
7 Theme: Where Life is Worth Living
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
Iconic Artifact
Establishing
Trails and
Scaling the
Peaks
Although he came to Canada to make a
living in the mines, he left his legacy in the
trails he built and the peaks he pioneered.
Lawrence Grassi
Women
Adventurers
Elizabeth von Rummel, later known as
“Lizzie”, was born into aristocracy in turn-ofthe-century Germany. In 1914, to escape
her World War 1 ravaged homeland, she
came with her family to live on a ranch in
the Alberta foothills. Later in life, Lizzie
would strike out on another epic adventure;
for 32 years she would run backcountry
lodges at Skoki and Mount Assiniboine.
Skiers and climbers took to the peaks and
established a community within a
community, even now hosting world-class
events.
Lizzie Rummel
Artifacts:
Payroll stub, Letter: 1974, to Grassi
thanking him for making hiking trails, 9
Income Tax Returns:,between 1936 1971, for Grassi, Book: ACC registry with
Grassi on page 38, Magazines and
Newspapers, Cribbage Board, Grassi’s
Climbing Rope, Pick Axe, Hiking Boots,
Fedora, Grassi’s Skis & Poles:
Snow and Rock
Sports
1988 Olympic
Games
The Olympic Flame illuminated for the world
the sport and recreation possibilities that
locals took for granted.
Lloyd Gallagher
Sharon Wood
Collect and feature artifacts and stories
from contemporary skiers and climbers
Nancy Hansen is an avid mountain climber whose
passion for the sport has given her the honour of
the first and only female to climb all 54 peaks over
11,000 feet in the Canadian Rockies. She still
holds the “speed record” for climbing these peaks
in just over seven years.
Alex Keleta
The Jerwas
Thelma (Anderson) Crowe
Johnny Boychuk
Many photos of sports teams spanning
many eras and sports - curling, baseball,
hockey, skating
Banners, coats, etc.
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Canmore residents in the 1988 Olympic Winter
Games or who settled here after the Games
Contemporary CanmoreOlympians (e.g.
Crawfords)
CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE | EXHIBIT CONCEPT PLAN
8 39
Appendix A
Interpretive Matrix Continued
Theme: Where Life is Worth Living
Sub-theme:
Key Messages
Historic Figures
The Arts
When the coalmines closed, Canmore
dozed for a while but artists began to settle
in, awakened to the beauty of the
surrounding peaks.
Opera House, now at Heritage Park in Calgary.
Capturing
Canmore in
Words and
Images
Imaginary
Mountains
Connected to
Calgary
Calgarians came for the weekend and
stayed for the rest of their lives.
New
Developments
and Part- time
residents
Visitors
Developers developed along the creeks and
the hillsides and attracted an ebb and flow
of part-time residents who bring with them
their considerable talents and resources.
Beginning with James Carnegie, the Earl of
Southesk, tourists came like moths to a
flame and the community grows and grows.
40
KEI SPACE DESIGN
Exhibit Approach, A/ V Component,
Interactives
Daisy E. Carroll
George Fisher
Kathleen Daly Pepper
Rob Alexander
Hollywood Movies
Local film makers and photographers
Iconic Artifact
Glenn Crawford
Craig Richards
Would make excellent backdrops
Quotes from people who began living in Canmore
as weekenders and stayed on
Could do an audio-visual piece interviewing
Calgarians who have stayed in Canmore
Images of new developments
See if there are any models we could get
9 CANMORE MUSEUM & GEOSCIENCE CENTRE
PERMANENT EXHIBIT CONCEPT
February 27, 2015