Government of Canada Recognizes the Canadian Youth Hostels Association as an Event of National Historic Significance
News release
June 16, 2018 Bragg Creek, Alberta Parks Canada Agency
In 1933, two sisters sparked the youth hostel movement in Canada by setting up a large tent at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and offering young hikers accommodation for 25 cents a night.
Today, the Canadian Youth Hostels Association was commemorated as an event of national historic significance. The announcement was made by Donna Zwicker, Alberta Member of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) , on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna . A plaque was unveiled during a ceremony in Bragg Creek, close to where the original youth hostel once stood.
The energetic and dedicated Barclay sisters, Mary and Catherine, were pioneers in the youth hostelling movement in Canada. In 1933, they opened Canada’s first youth hostel as a safe and affordable way for youth to discover nature and form friendships with other travellers. By the late 1940s, the success of the youth hostel established in Bragg Creek led to a network of youth hostels across Canada.
This network eventually became the Canadian Youth Hostel Association, modelled after a similar system in Europe, offering affordable accommodations and opportunities for independent, adventurous travel in Canada. Parks Canada played an active role in the movement, collaborating with the Hostels Association on youth hostels within national parks such as Banff, Jasper, Fundy, Elk Island, and the Georgian Bay Islands.
The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, recognizes significant people, places, and events that defined our country. The commemoration process is largely driven by public nominations. To date, more than 2,000 designations have been made. Of these, Parks Canada manages 171 national historic sites.
The Government of Canada is inviting Canadian families, youth and school groups to experience the outdoors and learn more about our history with free admission to Parks Canada places for visitors 17 and under, starting in 2018 and beyond.
Quotes
“By creating the country’s first youth hostel and establishing a national youth hostel organization, the Barclay sisters made it possible for countless adventurous Canadians and international visitors to discover Canada’s vast wilderness. The Canadian Youth Hostel Association helped define our diverse heritage and is an inspiration to explore our great country. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I am pleased to commemorate the national historic significance of the Canadian Youth Hostels Association.”
The Honourable Catherine McKenna,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada
Quick facts
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Donations were critical to outfitting, managing and establishing Bragg Creek’s youth hostel. In its first year, Ida May White leased her land to the Barclay sisters for just 50 cents a year. Thomas Fullerton supported the development of a more permanent youth hostel by donating a nearby parcel of land a few years later.
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The number of youth hostels peaked in Canada in 1950 with 63 established across the country. Many continue to operate today in urban, rural, and wilderness settings.
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Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national historic significance of places, people and events that have marked Canada’s history.
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Contacts
Dave Dunbar
Public Relations and Communications Officer
Banff Field Unit
Parks Canada
403-762-1526
david.dunbar@pc.gc.ca
Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca
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