Letter to the Editor

As a resident in the Fort Steele area, I pass the Townsite almost daily going to and coming from town. Today, on a day the Fort has been open (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) the gates were closed.

I learned from the website that the Fort will be closed to the public through the month of April. How unfortunate for the Idaho licence plate I spotted, sitting at the closed gates, while on my way home. (I double checked on the plate)

Since the Spooktacular, in October 2023, I have observed very little activity at the Fort, some work on visitor reception. No Christmas programming, no skating rink, no Easter programming. Now it appears as though there will be no Mother’s Day Tea and it is suggested on the website that there will be no programming until June. It does say that the May school programs will go ahead.

May has also been the month that the actors get ready for the season, developing the theatre  play and street scenes. There is a notice of hiring on the website.

As a season ticket holder for many years Fort Steele has been a destination to take guests, a wedding location, dress shop, wagon rides, train rides, farmers market, bakery delights, candy store and more galore. As a former employee in the restaurant, admin, visitor reception and volunteer coordination, the Fort was the best place to work.

Volunteers came from Alberta and beyond as well as local volunteers. Gold Panning Days, RCMP Musical Ride, NWMP displays, Bus Tours, museum displays telling the story of this area, of the Ktunaxa peoples, with their artifacts, showing viewers the true land dwellers before settlers arrived.

In 2004 the government divested management of the Fort to the Friends of Fort Steele Society. Government employees found employment at other government services and the Friends ran the site, open daily, except for a couple of days per year. There is the regular season as noted on the website. Off season allowed people to wander the site by donation and the gates were only closed during off hours between 4:30 and 10 p.m.

In 2024 the regular season will be from June 15 (just in time for Father’s Day) to September 8.  The Kootenay Country Fair has been a part of the Fort Steele scene for a number of years, on the second weekend in September, for a chance at the last train ride of the season. It sounds like the KCF will need to find a new home if the season ends the weekend before? Will the Halloween Spooktacular be happening in 2024?

The website says that there are five members of the board but in the list of board members there are only three names. It says on the website that there are 15 employees to run the site but there are currently only two listed, the assistant GM and the Curator (with a handful of others including the animal wrangler who is feeding and tending the animals, thanks to whomever that is).

Fort Steele is a draw for tourism in the area. Here’s hoping the three-volunteer board and handful of staff can pull a rabbit out of a hat so the full potential of Fort Steele Heritage Town can be imagined for 2024 and beyond.

Roberta Rodgers,

Fort Steele

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