The World’s Largest Dinosaur (WLD) celebrated a monumental milestone on September 5, 2009. Julie Mainville of Edmonton, Alberta was the 1,000,000th person to climb 106 stairs to the mouth of the dinosaur.
Mainville received a gift package valued at over $500. The package included World’s Largest Dinosaur merchandise, passes to other great Drumheller Valley attractions, a meal voucher and dinosaur dollars.
Operated by the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce, the World’s Largest Dinosaur officially opened its doors on October 13, 2000. The towering T-Rex standing 86 feet tall was the brainchild of a group of Drumheller business owners. It was through the determined work of many volunteers and funding from a variety of sources that the project was completed.
Nine years later, the WLD has celebrated many successes. It has been honoured with several prestigious awards including Attractions Canada Awards at both the provincial and national levels. Loans used to fund the project were paid back in full, five years earlier than originally planned. The Chamber of Commerce has also established a Legacy Fund, which designates 15% of admission fees and 10% of Giftshop sales to help other organizations realize their goals.
General Manager of the Chamber of Commerce, Heather Bitz states “It’s an exciting day in the 88 year history of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce. Drumheller, the Dinosaur Capital of the World, is a great vacation destination and we are happy to provide visitors with such a unique attraction.”
