Latest news with #Drumheller
CTV News
6 days ago
- CTV News
Canada Strong Pass: Children now get free entry at dozens of provincial museums and galleries
An Albertosaurus on display at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alta., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh) The new Canada Strong Pass is being expanded to include dozens of provincial and territorial museums and galleries. With support from the federal government, they will be providing free admission to children 17 and under, and 50 per cent off entry for youths ages 18 to 24. The 87 participating provincial and territorial museums and galleries include the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alta., the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. A full list is available here. In the face of frosty relations with the U.S., the federal government launched the Canada Strong Pass to encourage domestic travel and help Canadians save money this summer by offering free and discounted tickets at VIA Rail and national parks, museums and galleries. 'I welcome the enthusiastic response of provincial and territorial governments in joining this initiative at a time we need to be united and strong,' Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Steven Guilbeault said in a news release. 'I invite all Canadians to choose Canada this summer and enjoy the benefits of the Pass.' Running from June 20 to Sept. 2, other perks of the of the Canada Strong Pass include: Free admission to all Parks Canada national parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas. A 25 per cent discount on Parks Canada camping fees, including tent and RV campsites, roofed accommodation like cabins and yurts, and overnight backcountry trips. Free admission to national museums and galleries for children aged 17 and under, and 50 per cent off for young adults aged 18 to 24. Free VIA Rail tickets for children aged 17 and under when accompanied by an adult, and 25 per cent off for young adults aged 18 to 24. Free admission for children at select provincial and territorial museums, and a 50 per cent discount for young adults aged 18 to 24. Participating national museums and galleries include the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Plains of Abraham Museum in Quebec City and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. Parks Canada locations include 171 national historic sites, 48 national parks, five national marine conservation areas and one national urban park. There is no need to register or get a physical pass – just show up and enjoy, or see your discount automatically applied online for things like campground reservations. The discounts are available to Canadians and visitors alike. More information is available on the Canada Strong Pass website.
CTV News
05-07-2025
- CTV News
Inmate dies in Drumheller Institution
An inmate from the Drumheller Institution has died in custody. Correctional Services Canada (CSC) posted the news on its website Friday a little after 3 p.m. They said that the inmate, Donald Pepper, was 49 years old. He started serving a sentence of two and a half years on June 16, 2025. No other details of the circumstances of Pepper's death were made available. CSC said they are reviewing the circumstances. Pepper's next of kin have been notified, along with the police and the coroner.
CBC
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Beloved Drumheller dinosaur set for tests ahead of possible extinction
Tyra the Tyrannosaurus is set to be poked and prodded this fall to determine whether the towering, monstrously popular Drumheller, Alta., icon can be saved from extinction. Mayor Heather Colberg says a technical check will determine how much work — and money — may be needed to keep the 25-metre figure in its current place dominating the skyline of the town northeast of Calgary. "We've agreed on the engineering study, so that's going to take place probably this fall," said Colberg, who also is leaving office this fall. "Once that is done then, we'll have a good idea what her longevity is and everything about her, and then hopefully we can make a decision before I'm gone." "If, all of a sudden, they come and say she's actually going to fall apart, then that's a whole different discussion. But if they say she's good for 30 years and she might need an outer coating, then that's different, too." Tyra is four times the size of a real T. Rex and attracts 150,000 visitors a year, serving as the backdrop to hundreds of thousands of tourists' photos over the last quarter of a century. She stands across from the intersection of Gorgosaurus Street and Tyrannosaurus Drive near a visitor information centre. A nearby ice cream stand offers fossils, T-shirts and dino toys. Tourists can climb 106 stairs through Tyra's innards to stand inside her mouth and look down. Set to go extinct in 2029 While the town owns the land where she's located, the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce owns the attraction. The chamber has said the dinosaur is set to be dismantled when the lease runs out in 2029. That announcement has resulted in a public backlash, including 25,000 names on a petition calling for her to be spared. The Town of Drumheller also demanded meetings with the chamber and Travel Drumheller. The town announced in April the three groups would explore options, and the engineering study flowed from that. Colberg said she's optimistic the landmark won't go the way of the dinosaurs. "I would be amazed if she's not [saved]," Colberg said. "There's got to be a solution. I'm not giving up." The town of 8,400 bills itself as the Dinosaur Capital of the World. Home to the famed Royal Tyrrell Museum, the community also has statues of dinosaurs that look like they crawled out of the Flintstones cartoon, greeting people on the streets. Colberg said she was initially surprised — but then not surprised — at the amount of national attention that Tyra's possible demise has garnered across Canada. "People like the dinosaurs and love coming here for the dinosaurs," she said. "When you promote that you're the dinosaur capital of the world with the world's largest dinosaur, that's what people expect to see." Keri Looijen, marketing manager with Travel Drumheller, told CBC News that the economic impact of dinosaur tourism as a whole is important to consider as talks with the town and chamber continue.
CTV News
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Beloved monster-sized Alberta dinosaur set for tests ahead of possible extinction
Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, the lovable landmark that towers over the Drumheller skyline in the heart of the Canadian Badlands, is facing an extinction-level event and is pictured in Drumheller, Alta., Tuesday, April 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Tyra the Tyrannosaurus is set to be poked and prodded this fall to determine whether Drumheller's towering, monstrously popular icon can be saved from extinction. Mayor Heather Colberg says a technical check will determine how much work — and money — may be needed to keep the 25-metre figure in its current place dominating the skyline of the town northeast of Calgary. 'We've agreed on the engineering study, so that's going to take place probably this fall,' said Colberg, who also is leaving office this fall. 'Once that is done then, we'll have a good idea what her longevity is and everything about her, and then hopefully, we can make a decision before I'm gone.' 'If, all of a sudden, they come and say she's actually going to fall apart, then that's a whole different discussion. But if they say she's good for 30 years and she might need an outer coating, then that's different, too.' Tyra is four times the size of a real T. Rex and attracts 150,000 visitors a year, serving as the backdrop to hundreds of thousands of tourists' photos over the last quarter of a century. She stands across from the intersection of Gorgosaurus Street and Tyrannosaurus Drive near a visitor information centre. A nearby ice cream stand offers fossils, T-shirts and dino toys. Tourists can climb 106 stairs through Tyra's innards to stand inside her mouth and look down. While the town owns the land where she's located, the Drumheller & District Chamber of Commerce owns the attraction. The chamber has said the dinosaur is set to be dismantled when the lease runs out in 2029. That announcement has resulted in a public backlash, including 25,000 names on a petition calling for her to be spared. The Town of Drumheller also demanded meetings with the chamber and Travel Drumheller. The town announced in April the three groups would explore options, and the engineering study flowed from that. Colberg said she's optimistic the landmark won't go the way of the dinosaurs. 'I would be amazed if she's not (saved),' Colberg said. 'There's got to be a solution. I'm not giving up.' The town of 8,400 bills itself as the Dinosaur Capital of the World. Home to the famed Royal Tyrrell Museum, the community also has statues of dinosaurs that look like they crawled out of the Flintstones cartoon, greeting people on the streets. Colberg said she was initially surprised — but then not surprised — at the amount of national attention that Tyra's possible demise has garnered across Canada. 'People like the dinosaurs and love coming here for the dinosaurs,' she said. 'When you promote that you're the dinosaur capital of the world with the world's largest dinosaur, that's what people expect to see.' — By Bill Graveland in Calgary This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025.
Toronto Star
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Beloved monster-sized Alberta dinosaur set for tests ahead of possible extinction
DRUMHELLER - Tyra the Tyrannosaurus is set to be poked and prodded this fall to determine whether Drumheller's towering, monstrously popular icon can be saved from extinction. Mayor Heather Colberg says a technical check will determine how much work — and money — may be needed to keep the 25-metre figure in its current place dominating the skyline of the town northeast of Calgary.
