Article Database - Map Traces Heritage Pathways in Southern Alberta and B.C.

If you think going around in circles gets you nowhere, check this out. Eleven top heritage destinations in southern Alberta and British Columbia have joined forces to create a circle route that gets you hands-on learning experiences, three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, spectacular scenery, and even a couple of dips in soothing hot springs.

Together they have produced a colorful, informative map called pathways to past ways that leads visitors on a driving tour of heritage attractions, including Alberta and national historic sites, that are within easy driving distance of each other.

The concept is based on the idea that people who visit and like one site would be interested in the others if they knew how close together they were, says Jane Kremenik, regional marketing coordinator with Alberta Community Developments Historic Site Service .

You can enter anywhere on the loop and take it at your leisure. You could tour all 11 sites in and where from three days to two weeks. The map, available free at participating venues, was put together with the traveler in mind. It opens easily in the car and fits neatly into a glove compartment. It also includes coupons for each of the sites and shows the driving distance between them.

We can't keep them the maps on the shelves at the tourist information centers in southern Alberta. Krementik says. We're getting calls from all kinds of businesses such as bed and breakfast establishments that want to stock them.

The map is also getting international attention. Tour operators from Europe and the United States tell us this map is very popular with their clients traveling to Western Canada. Says Kristen Web group sales coordinator at Calgary's Heritage Park a participating venue.

The pathways partners launched a Web site in September that includes links to the home page of each of the partners. Kremenik says the partner's plan eventually to sell package tours from the site.

The circle could get bigger, she adds. The group is hearing from other venues that want to get involved in the project.

For information
Jayne Kremenik, Historic Sites Service, Alberta Community Development,