Parks Canada Kicks-off Canada 150 Celebrations at Fort Walsh National Historic Site
News Release
May 11, 2017 Maple Creek, Saskatchewan Parks Canada Agency
Starting on May 20, Fort Walsh National Historic Site will begin welcoming visitors for the 2017 season.
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Government is very pleased to offer free admission to all Parks Canada places in 2017. The FREE Parks Canada 2017 Discovery Pass provides unlimited opportunities to enjoy national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas across the country.
Canada’s national historic sites will play a big part in the celebration of Canada 150. This year, Fort Walsh National Historic Site is offering new services to enable more Canadians, including youth and newcomers, to experience the outdoors and experience Canada’s rich heritage. Fort Walsh National Historic Site will be offering bike rentals, allowing visitors to explore the Cypress Hills in a whole new way in 2017. This year, the site will also be offering a Learn-to Camp program on July 15 and 16.
Visitors won’t want to miss the Rotgut Run on July 15 for an opportunity to race through the Cypress Hills in the “toughest 5K in Saskatchewan.” The popular Wild West Trades Day returns on August 5 and offers fun family events and activities to learn about the lives of the people who lived on this land more than a hundred years ago.
To ensure the best experience possible experience, visitors are encouraged to plan their visit ahead of time through the Parks Canada website.
The FREE Parks Canada 2017 Discovery Pass is available from the Parks Canada website as well as at Parks Canada entry gates and visitor centres. Partners such as Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) and CIBC will also be distributing passes for Parks Canada.
Please note that only admission is free for 2017. There are fees for enhanced interpretative programs and recreational services and products such as camping and firewood, fishing permits, and overnight backcountry use.
Quotes
“National parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas represent the very best that Canada has to offer and tell stories of who we are, including the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples. As Canada turns 150 this year, the Government of Canada’s gift to you is free admission to all Parks Canada places. The Parks Canada team looks forward to welcoming you in 2017.”
The Honourable Catherine McKenna
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada
Quick Facts
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The Fort Walsh Visitor Centre is undergoing renovations in 2017 and will be closed. The national historic site will be otherwise fully operational.
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Situated in the Cypress Hills of southwestern Saskatchewan, Fort Walsh National Historic Site presided over one of the most dramatic periods of change on the Prairies. Fort Walsh was designated a national historic site in 1924.
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Fort Walsh and Cypress Hills was a meeting place and crossroads for many different peoples, including Mounties, First Nations, Metis, fur traders and whiskey traders. Today, Fort Walsh National Historic Site offers visitors the opportunity to discover what life was like on a working fort in the 1870s and learn how Canadian law was established in the West.
Associated Links
Contacts
Lisa Leuty
Public Relations and Communications Officer
Saskatchewan South Field Unit
306-975-6805
lisa.leuty@pc.gc.ca
Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca