Take a look inside Prospect Ridge, Heritage Park's new natural resources exhibit
Expansion of Calgary's historical village slated to open Saturday features new and restored exhibits
A new area in Calgary's Heritage Park that highlights the region's natural resources history will be unveiled this weekend, when the museum plans to reopen its historical village for a COVID-safe "outdoors only" season.
The first phase of Prospect Ridge is set to debut on Saturday. It was developed over five years of fundraising, planning and restoration, representatives said earlier this week.
The addition to the park features eight new and restored exhibits for visitors to explore, including a working water wheel, an immersive coal mine and a replica of the Dingman No. 1 Discovery Well from Turner Valley.
Park senior director Jeff Hodgson told CBC News that Prospect Ridge brings back some of the original exhibits from when the park first opened in 1964 that were taken out of service.
"This area had fallen into disrepair, so we're grateful for the support that we had received so that we can restore, revitalize and continue to tell these important stories of this area of Heritage Park," Hodgson said.
"Prospect Ridge brings Western Canada's energy and natural resource stories to life, from the birth of our energy industry to the natural areas … that support an abundant diversity of flora and fauna."
The outdoor exhibits at Heritage Park is scheduled to open to the public on May 22 at 10 a.m.
Entry to the park will be time-limited, and there will be reduced capacity on some attractions to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
With files from Mike Symington and Rick Donkers