Happy 100th birthday to Mount Revelstoke National Park!
Mount Revelstoke National Park officially marked its 100th anniversary with the opening of a new exhibit at the Museum & Archives celebrating the park’s rich history.
The exhibit will be on display at the Revelstoke Museum and Archives until April 1, 2015.
The exhibition features artifacts from the museum’s collection, including a wooden cane hand-carved by a First World War park internment camp prisoner, and a Fire Warden’s journal on loan from Parks Canada. The exhibit also features an interactive video/scanner component that will be used to collect oral histories and images about the park.
Community members celebrated the centennial with live music, photo booths, vintage cars and an anniversary cake cut by Fred Olsson and his granddaughters Tori and Miya Voykin who are descendents of Fred Maunder, the park’s first Superintendent. There were also special exhibitions by local organizations.
“The community of Revelstoke has a more than 100-year love affair with Mount Revelstoke National Park as the Revelstoke Museum and Archives can attest from the many photos, archives and stories we have gathered and stored,” said Museum Curator Cathy English. “On Mount Revelstoke, the community has welcomed royalty, hosted the silver screen, set world records in ski jumping, painted and photographed its views, explored its many wonders and held weddings. We are blessed to have such a beautiful place in our back yard.”
Mayor David Raven agreed.
“More than a century ago, the citizens of Revelstoke thought it would be a good idea to make Mount Revelstoke a national park,” he said. “And they were right! They recognised the beauty of its subalpine meadows, lakes and flowers as an important tourism destination and worked to welcome the world as they began construction on the road to the summit and lobbied the government for a national park. It is remarkable that the community had the vision to see the benefits of protecting this area for all generations and creating the world-class attraction that we all enjoy today.”
Meanwhile, MP David Wilks sent this message from Ottawa: “Our government is pleased to celebrate the centennial of Mount Revelstoke National Park, created thanks to the passion and drive of the local community. The park features a rich and fascinating history of ski jumping and has hosted numerous royal visits. It is also known for its conservation programs for species at risk.”
Quick Facts
Mount Revelstoke National Park – Canada’s 8th national park – was designated on April 28, 1914, at the request of the local community.
The park protects extraordinary wetland fens, old growth rainforest, fragile alpine ecosystems, species at risk and has a rich cultural heritage. It features one of the oldest subalpine plants found in North America and has successfully rehabilitated subalpine meadows.
Mt. Revelstoke is the only national park in Canada where you can summit a mountain just a short walk from a vehicle. The Meadows in the Sky Parkway was created to increase tourism by making the beauty of the summit and its views accessible to visitors.
Mount Revelstoke National Park is the only place in Canada where world records in ski jumping were set and was home to one of Canada’s first ski clubs.
And, finally, here are some photos from the celebration:
Parks Canada’s Jacolyn Daniluck (center, right) did an excellent job as MC for the Mount Revelstoke National Park centennial that was held on First Street West in front of the Museum & Archives on Saturday, April 26. David F. Rooney photoParka the Parks Canada mascot, new Parks Superintendent Nicholas Irving, Museum Curator Cathy English and Mayor David Raven as Fred Olsson encourages his granddaughters Tori and Miya Voykin to blow out the candles on the Mount Revelstoke National Park birthday cake. Fred and his granddaughters are descendants of the park’s first superintendent, Frederick Edgar Maunder. David F. Rooney photoFred Olsson, new Park Superintendent Nicholas Irving, Museum Curator Cathy English and Mayor David Raven pose for the ritual cake-cutting photo as Fred’s granddaughters Tori and Miya Voykin look on. David F. Rooney photoLocal residents Kathie Parkhill and Graham Harper (back) and Gordon Mason (front left), Eve Northmore and Catherine Bellerose looked as though they could stepped from the pages of one of the museum’s fascinating photo albums from the early 20th century. David F. Rooney photoThis panorama photo shows the entry way to the new exhibit. Please click to view this in its full size. David F. Rooney photoEveryone was invited to sign the guest book. David F. Rooney photoHelen Grace enjoyed the slide show of old photos. David F. Rooney photoCurt and Andrea Pont loved the new exhibit at the museum. David F. Rooney photoThe smooth, sophisticated sound of the Bob Rogers Quartet was perfect for this event. David F. Rooney photoThe Parks Canada tent saw a lot of action. David F. Rooney photoShelby Harvey (left), Chelsea Hesse and Brian Sumner had plantable saplings on offer at the BC Forestry Museum tent. The museum will be open with new projects and exhibits planned for this summer. David F. Rooney photoNancy Geismar (right) describes the Canadian Avalanche Centre’s work to curious visitors at the centennial celebration. David F. Rooney photoParka the Parks Canada beaver makes a new friend in Jacolyn Daniluck during the centennial party at the Museum & Archives. Parka’s escort for the morning was Denis St. Onge. David F. Rooney photoGeorge and Rose Bell are dressed in style — 1912 style! — with their Ford Model T at the Mount Revelstoke National Park centennial on Saturday, April 26. David F. Rooney photoChamber of Commerce Tourism Coordinator Meghan Tabor and Colin Smith answer people’s questions about local tourism sites. David F. Rooney photoMaddie Cole applies a (Thankfully!) temporary tattoo to Current publisher David Rooney’s forearm. Bekah McLeod photoThe NCES’s Matt Kieller had a booth at the centennial, too. Bekah McLeod photoRevelstoke Railway Museum’s Marjorie Somerton demonstrates two-sided, two-dimensional drawing that you can animate by twisting its cords and getting it to rotate. The museum, which had a booth at the Mount Revelstoke National Park centennial, has a number of activities c oming up, including a massive Lego event on Saturday, May 10, from 10 am until 11:30 am. David F. Rooney photoThe Revelstoke Art Gallery was one of the several organizations that set up a booth for the centennial celebration. The gallery is a sponsor of the Art in the Park series and has more activities planned in the park this summer. Here Executive Director Jackie Pendergast (left) and retired Parks’ employee and all-around artist Mas Matsushita enjoy a moment in front of the camera. David F. Rooney photoNicole and Dave Grimsdell capture an image of son Harlan posing as a ski-jumper while his brother Spencer watches from the sidelines. David F. Rooney photoLindy Silano’s daughter, Abril uses a roller slathered with black ink to create a bear’s paw print as her mom (left) and Bear Aware Coordinator Sue Davies keep the paper steady. This was a three-generations moment as Lindy and Abril were accompanied by grandmother Lia Robb. David F. Rooney photoKevin Bollefer (left) and Simon Hunt chat with Sylvia Wood at the Columbia Mountain Institute tent. David F. Rooney photoA near-frozen Jacolyn Daniluck (right) warms up with a hot coffee at the end of the party held at the Museum & Archives to mark the centennial of Mount Revelstoke National Park on Saturday, April 26. Despite the rain and cool temperature a decent-sized crowd came out for cake, coffee, music by the Bob Rogers Quartet and speeches. David F. Rooney photo
