Ottawa has committed the final $47.8 million to the Fort Edmonton Park expansion, reports the Edmonton Journal.
The federal government’s contribution means the project can now go ahead. When complete, the park hopes to more than double attendance to at least half a million visitors annually.
A major new attraction will be the $45m Indigenous People’s Experience. This is set to feature an outdoor amphitheatre, teepees, a Métis cabin, trails and a museum.
The site beside Egge’s Pond near the fur trading fort is being created with input from the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations and the Métis Nation of Alberta under deals signed in 2015.
Federal Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi, an Edmonton MP, said the Indigenous People’s Experience was central to healing wounds and moving towards ‘ a relationship based on respect and harmony’.
New midway rides are also on the cards. Furthermore, the Selkirk Hotel will benefit from 22 additional rooms.
Bill Demchuk, Executive Director of the Fort Edmonton Management Co., said the expansion will transform the park into a unique world-class attraction.
The federal funding is around $15m more than was originally expected. It puts the total budget for the project at $165m.
Image courtesy Fort Edmonton Park
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/federal-government-putting-47-8-million-into-fort-edmonton-park-expansion
