Initiatives

Current Projects of the Fort Edmonton Foundation’s Community Campaign

Fort Edmonton Park is Canada’s largest living history museum, and a key part of the cultural and recreational makeup of Edmonton. Located on 160 acres in Edmonton’s North Saskatchewan River Valley, Fort Edmonton Park is divided into four distinct historical eras: the fur-trade era, 1885 Street, 1905 Street, and 1920 Street.

Fort Edmonton Foundation’s current Community Capital Campaign is to raise $7.5 million to support the following four major projects:

• Revitalization of the Train Station
• Capital Re-investment of Locomotive 107 to keep the train rolling
• Addition of a dining car to Fort Edmonton Park

When you donate to the Fort Edmonton Foundation you will help connect your contribution to the development of historical buildings, interpretive sites, artifacts, and the living history experience of Edmonton. We preserve history and share a story for all generations to enjoy.

All Aboard Capital Campaign

Train stations and trains have been an integral part of the history of Alberta and the Fort Edmonton Foundation wants to ensure that our rail history story continues to be experienced at Fort Edmonton Park, Canada’s largest living history museum.

The Fort Edmonton Foundation purchased Locomotive 107 from local enthusiast Bill Graham in 1978, a year after its inaugural journey around Fort Edmonton Park.

Since then many additions were brought to the park including the building of the train station which is modelled after the train stations that would’ve been seen around Alberta in the 1920’s.

The All Aboard Capital Campaign seeks to raise $7.5 million dollars for capital investment to build on the legacy of telling the story about the railway in Alberta, but also, to build on the remarkable renovations at the park from 2021.

Learn more about the All Aboard Campaign

1920s Johnny J. Jones Midway

Built to recreate the midway at the 1920’s Edmonton Summer Exhibition, the expansion of the Johnny J. Jones Midway reflects a typical 1920’s-style carnival.  It reopened in 2021 with a bigger Ferris wheel, life-size maze, games alley, funhouse, the much-acclaimed Cabinet of Curios exhibit.

In 2020/21, the Fort Edmonton Foundation fundraised $1 Million to Light the Midway at Fort Edmonton Park.

Indigenous Peoples Experience

It is our community’s responsibility to be learners of the Indigenous Peoples who have inhabited this land pre-and post-contact. The Indigenous story told through their voice, is at the forefront of the Indigenous Peoples Experience and the narrative shared.

By supporting the Fort Edmonton Foundation’s fundraising efforts for the Indigenous Peoples Experience, you are part of connecting generational pathways and creating educational opportunities by sharing cultural values and advancing reconciliation. Visitors to the Indigenous Peoples Experience are immersed into First Nations and Métis storytelling, with pre- and post-contact history, the making of Treaty 6, and the journey towards reconciliation. Culture comes alive through multimedia shows, interpreter interaction, and hands-on visitor opportunities.

To ensure authenticity of this project, Fort Edmonton Park has signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations and the Métis Nation of Alberta.

Learn about Naming Opportunities within the Indigenous Peoples Experience

New Front Entry Plaza and Guest Services Area

A fresh introduction to historic Fort Edmonton Park is the new Front Entry Plaza and Guest Services. Offers modern-day conveniences, the entrance welcomes visitors with efficient guest services and ticketing. With accessible amenities, the plaza will host a café, gift shop, washrooms, and a sitting area along with interpretive and natural landscaping.

Developed with Accountability in Mind

Our Capital Campaign Cabinet is a collaborative steering committee of volunteers representing both Boards of Directors ⁠- Fort Edmonton Foundation and Fort Edmonton Management Company (FEMCo), the City of Edmonton, the province of Alberta, and our community stakeholders.

When re-envisioning Fort Edmonton Park, the 2010 Master Plan indicated that the initiatives/projects were to be assessed with key objectives: to be authentic and historically accurate; have engaging Interpretation, programming, and design; to increase visitation and ensure cost recovery; to be operationally successful, and to have a dynamic brand identity.

Partners for Success

The City of Edmonton. The Park is an asset of the City of Edmonton, owned by the people of our city.

Fort Edmonton Management Company (FEMCo) Incorporated in 2009, FEMCo provides professional management for Fort Edmonton Park.

Fort Edmonton Foundation Founded in 1969, the Fort Edmonton Foundation is a registered charitable organization responsible for the administration of all fundraising executed to benefit capital projects at Fort Edmonton Park.

Capital Campaign Cabinet

The Capital Campaign Cabinet is a collaborative steering committee of volunteers representing both Boards of Directors – Fort Edmonton Foundation  and Fort Edmonton Management Company (FEMCo), the City of Edmonton, the province of Alberta, and our community stakeholders.