This release was issued under a previous government.
“This past May, Albertans - and the entire nation - watched as Fort McMurray battled one of the biggest wildfires this country has ever seen.
“The fire certainly left its mark by destroying thousands of homes and buildings and forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents from the Fort McMurray area. But through it all, Albertans remained strong, compassionate and eager to lend a helping hand.
“I am proud that Alberta Culture and Tourism was able to contribute to relief efforts by providing wildfire evacuees with free admission to provincially owned historic sites and museums for the summer. I am happy to say that between May 8 and Sept. 5, more than 6,000 wildfire evacuees took us up on that offer, visiting sites across the province such as:
- Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
- Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology
- Reynolds-Alberta Museum
- Father Lacombe Chapel
- Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
- Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
- Historic Dunvegan
- Oil Sands Discovery Centre
- Remington Carriage Museum
- Rutherford House
“Our sites and museums opened their doors to evacuees, providing families a place to be families again. It was our hope that by visiting our heritage facilities, evacuees would have an opportunity to enjoy a brief respite from the challenges they faced during a difficult time.
“I know there is much work still left to be done to rebuild Fort McMurray, and Culture and Tourism will continue to play a role in those efforts. I think this summer has shown all Albertans that not only is our culture everywhere, but it can be a valuable tool in helping people meet and overcome adversity.”