In Pictures: Parks Canada has a couple of great new attractions in the works

By David F. Rooney

Parks Canada is busy preparing two new attractions at Mount Revelstoke National Park — a children’s bike-skills park and a very cool — indeed, spectacular! — interactive addition to the Nels Nelsen historic site.

They are still under construction and are not yet open to the public. However, last Friday, May 13, Jacolyn Daniluck, the park’s media liaison, and designer Rob Buchanan took members of the local news media on a tour of the two “visitor experiences” that are expected to be officially open to the public in time for Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017.

Here are some great images from the media tour that I hope you’ll enjoy:

This dusty work site may not look like much right now but wait until the kids’ Bike Skills Park is finished! Jacolyn Daniluck photo courtesy of Parks Canada
This dusty work site may not look like much right now but wait until the kids’ Bike Skills Park is finished! Jacolyn Daniluck photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Zuzana Driediger works on the owl carving set in one of the bridges at the Bike Skills Park. Verena Blaisy photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Zuzana Driediger works on the owl carving set in one of the bridges at the Bike Skills Park. Verena Blaisy photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Here’s a view of the finished carving. Jacolyn Daniluck photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Here’s a view of the finished carving. Jacolyn Daniluck photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Here’s the newly built platform for the Nels Nelsen interactive exhibit above the ski jump. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Here’s the newly built platform for the Nels Nelsen interactive exhibit above the ski jump. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
That's a great view! Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
That’s a great view! Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
These descriptive elements are designed to look like newspapers from the early 20th century. Jacolyn Daniluck photo courtesy of Parks Canada
These descriptive elements are designed to look like newspapers from the early 20th century. Jacolyn Daniluck photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Imagine yourself stepping into the knickers and leaning out into space. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Imagine yourself stepping into the knickers and leaning out into space. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
And here he is again posing after stepping into the vest and knickers. Click here to see a photo feature on how this was made. Jacolyn Daniluck photo courtesy of Parks Canada
And here he is again posing after stepping into the vest and knickers. Jacolyn Daniluck photo courtesy of Parks Canada

As most local people here know, Revelstoke was once famous as a ski-jumping center, and boasts the first ski-jump in North America, established in 1915. Many Scandinavian families settled in Revelstoke and brought their ski sports with them. Local man Nels Nelsen was the world champion ski-jumper for several consecutive years in the 1920s. The ski-jump was in use until the early 1970s and the international competitions attracted athletes and spectators from around the world. This new attraction highlights the importance of the historic ski jump. Here are some photos Rob Buchanan took of the vest and knickers being produced at Mount Begbie Machine Works and their installation on the platform above the historic ski jump:

Much of the work on Rob’s design for this project was accomplished with the aid of Rob Maraun at Mount Begbie Machine Works. This image shows the in-progress work on the vest and a scale model of it. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Much of the work on Rob’s design for this project was accomplished with the aid of Rob Maraun at Mount Begbie Machine Works. This image shows the in-progress work on the vest and a scale model of it. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Sketching in the creases. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Sketching in the creases. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
The knickers are starting to look realistic. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
The knickers are starting to look realistic. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Rob Maraun ‘field tests’ the sculpture. The two Robs always have fun creating sculptures like this. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Rob Maraun ‘field tests’ the sculpture. The two Robs always have fun creating sculptures like this. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Rob Maraun welds the pants. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Rob Maraun welds the pants. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Rob Maraun grinds the bindings in his shop. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Rob Maraun grinds the bindings in his shop. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Here’s Rob Maraun installing the metal knickers and vest. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Here’s Rob Maraun installing the metal knickers and vest. Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
Here’s a view from below… Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada

Here’s a view from below… Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
And another view from below! Crazy, eh? Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada
And another view from below! Crazy, eh? Rob Buchanan photo courtesy of Parks Canada

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