Bob Sheddy

The Town of Drumheller recently completed a Tourism Master Plan and I took some time to read through the report.  The full report can be found on the dinosaurvalley.com website.

Since the mid 1980's, tourism has been a main driver of Drumheller's economy.  27% of the Town's employment is related to Tourism.  It is now the main attraction in the middle of the new "Canadian Badlands" Tourism region.

I was also interested to learn that currently, the Canadian Badlands 2.5 million persons visit a year and of those, 2 million are Alberta residents.

"Goal of the the Tourism Master Plan is to enhance the role of the Town of Drumheller as a four season tourist destination and to optimize the benefits of tourism throughout the region."

One thing I was excited to see was the idea of Cycling Tourism in the town.  Gary Chambers (@drumhellerhomes) and my finace (@drsuepedersen) have both pushed me to buy a road cycle and get into cycling.  I've cycled in a number of countries, and patronized many shops, restaurant and attractions along the way.

Drumheller has great scenery, beautiful roads and great weather.  I don't see why cycling couldn't take off in the valley.

The report identifies how Drumheller can be cycling friendly if we pay attention to a few key areas that are gaps in the trail system (ie. HWY 838 to the Royal Tyrrell Museum) and potentially looping the existing trails.

I fully support this idea, and eagerly encourage local entrepreneurs to consider how they can capitalize on this opportunity.

Click here to access Tourism Master Plan Report