48 Hours In Stettler

Upon arriving in Stettler, we wanted to get acquainted with the town and found the best way was by utilizing the walking/biking trails offered throughout. West Stettler Park seemed the perfect location to serve as a hub for our adventures as we were located across staying at the Town of Stettler Lions campground. Adjacent to the Rotary Armstrong Spray Park, West Stettler offered a tranquility bringing an inner peace you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Walking and biking trails, including up the side of “Mount Stettler”, a playground for the kids, and catch and release fishing in the pond; the park was relaxing and deemed a “must stop” for every family at some point during their trip. Grabbing our helmets and picking up our bikes, we chose the trail to the left of the playground. Following past the Skateboard Park we came upon the Stettler Recreation Centre; a multi-use facility that houses the twin arenas, the Stettler Public Library, the senior centre, and the aquatic centre. Noting this would be a great place to spend a rainy afternoon, we continued our travels east on the trails. Passing a block south of the Heartland Bowl- Stettler’s

long standing bowling alley, we found they offer an amazing game called glo-bowl, allowing you to strike in the dark! Being a licensed facility with a full appetizer menu, Bob and his staff were most accommodating opening the alley for us upon our call. After a few good sported games, we continued on our trail and came upon the Stettler & District Ag Grounds; home of the Stettler Steel Wheel Stampede. We are told the grounds are often filled with events and rodeo styled happenings, and we paused to watch the cowboys and girls competing in a sport they call a lifestyle. The trail bends off to the south a bit more from here and it took us away from the residential hustle and bustle and alongside a wheat farm. The blooms were in full ripening and offered a beautiful golden backdrop as we pedaled along. A memorial tree park has been planted near the end of this trail and we took some time honoring those whose loved ones have passed as we rested in some shade of the gazebo. Continuing our travels, we follow 50th Street north to the Cold Lake Bird Sanctuary. Located on the east side of Stettler, this sanctuary is often home to

several species of waterfowl year round. The sanctuary offers a scenic view while watching the birds frolic and play. Once we circled the lake, we meandered our way across the tracks to visit Main Street. Serving as an economic hub for East Central Alberta, the shops offer city styled amenities while maintaining a small town atmosphere. The historical character of the community is evident in the store fronts and sidewalks and the charm continues inside with genuine, caring customer service behind every counter. Unique shops offering everything you could imagine and more, dot the streets with laid back coffee shops and quaint cafes filling in the gaps. We were told about a brochure detailing the oldest and most historic buildings in the area and found it online at www. destinationstettler.com. It was well worth the read and provided an informative guide to the area. To end our evening, we stopped in at the Jewel Theatre for an evening picture. The vintage theatre had comfortable seats, a full concession and just the right volume to enjoy our show before heading back to camp for the night.

Common & Co.

Saturday

Beginning our day at the Stettler Town and Country Museum, Alberta’s 5th largest pioneer museum, we found the site was a display to over one million artifacts. The onsite curators informed us they host a feature exhibit each year allowing this historic village to tell the story of Stettler’s history with information from the early 1900’s to the present. Visiting the old courthouse where the last man hanged in Alberta, Robert Raymond Cook, was arraigned; we read tales of history offered through newspaper collections, cemetery books, original photos and family and personal stories. Add to that the preservation of eleven historical buildings on 10 acres of land and we filled our morning with wonder. You will need a good two hours to meander through the various buildings and displays. After lunch, we spent some time at the P&H Elevator, one of the last remaining elevator/feedmill complexes in Alberta. Virtually every farmer in the Stettler area

has used the services provided by the mill at one time or another and the historical society is continually upgrading it back to its original working order. With the refinished wooden walls and floor and the displays offering a glimpse into how the elevator handled thousands of tons of grain over its years, the tour guides were more than excited to explain every detail of the workings of this once great machine. All aboard! As we stepped inside the train for a trip back in time with Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, we were delighted to find the cars decorated in period form. The staff were all dressed in burgundy vests and black caps and offered assistance to our seats. Once seated on car 6744 and enroute to our destination, we were afforded the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the professional performances of Richard and Deborah Popovich. Their musical renditions were accompanied by many of the passengers on the car. We also spent time in the open

air coach, allowing the breeze to blow off our skin and taking in the grandeur that is the Alberta prairies. Upon arriving at our destination, we were welcomed to the Village of Big Valley. Once a major railway town, here we found the historic remains of the Canadian Northern Railway Hall of Fame. After a fabulous meal provided by the train, we took some time to stroll the shops along Jimmy Jock Boardwalk, cooled our heels in the 1914 restored jail house, and climbed to the top of the hill where we took in the view of the 1916 St. Edmunds Anglican Church. This beautiful blue church built in 1916 made for an exquisite backdrop to the village below. Not to be out done, we spent time at McAlister’s Garage relishing in the display of vintage cars, trucks and machinery, just like my dad used to drive when I was a kid and had a quick stop in at the new tool museum. The Creation Science Museum rounded out the trip for us before returning back to Stettler at the end of the evening.

Donalda Red Lamp Market

Pheasantback Photography

Sunday

After an eventful evening on the open prairie, a relaxing drive was what the doctor ordered. Taking a journey to the north about 20 minutes, we visited the Village of Donalda, home of the country's largest oil lamp replica standing 42 feet high overlooking the remarkable Willow Canyon. Spending some time in the museum itself was impressive with the large display of oil lamps, some dating back as far as the 1600’s. The collection was started with the donation of over 650 lamps from

Don and Beth Lawson who began collecting in 1939. Once we took in the lamps, we decided to hike the Willow Canyon and get an up close and personal look at what they call the badlands. The trail was about ¾ of a mile long and allowed us to explore 120 acres including the old ski hill area which is now the location of the bi-annual drive-in movies. Benches and picnic tables were offered in locations along the way allowing us to rest when we needed. Once we were back at the top of the coulee, we stopped into

Bookersville on Main Street and grabbed a cold treat before heading back home. Reflecting on our weekend in Stettler, we relish the time we spent on this journey. Knowing there was much more we could have seen and done including spending time floating in the Red Deer River or swimming in beautiful Buffalo Lake, we know we will be back again and the area will not disappoint.

Hiking the Donalda Coulees