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Town approves over $18 million in developments in 2022

Downtown Drumheller

Rising costs and inflation did not put a damper on development in the Drumheller Valley as the Town saw increases to both the number of development permits and total construction values in 2022.
The number of development permits approved in 2022 increased some 29 per cent, from a total of 85 development permits in 2021 to 110 development permits in 2022.
“We had a steady year for applications,” shares Antonia Knight, Town of Drumheller Development officer.
Among the development permits approved included 24 commercial, 32 sign placements, seven mobile vendors, and two institutional projects.
There were also 41 residential development permits which included one new build and one home relocation, seven manufactured homes, and other permits for decks, garages or sheds, and home additions and home occupations.
June was the busiest month for the development office as there were 19 applications with a total value over $15 million.
The total construction value for the year was $18,811,707.
This is up some 252 per cent over 2021, which saw a total construction value of some $5.3 million.
Ms. Knight shares this increase is partly attributed to rising costs, but is mostly due to some large projects which accounted for much of the approval values. This includes the redevelopment of the 500 wing senior residences at the Sunshine Lodge, the two story SL4 building project at Hillview Lodge which is currently delayed, and approval for development of a new Bottle Depot which is also facing delays.
Along with developments, there were also several demolitions carried out over the last year. However, these fall under building permits rather than development permits and do not impact these totals.
Ms. Knight notes there were a total of 15 building permits issued for demolition in 2022, which included seven houses, the old Co-op Mall, old Drumheller Hospital, Consortium, Nacmine Hotel, and some accessory buildings.
The total demolition value, which does not take into consideration the assessed value of the lost building, was approximately $109,000.

Development permits by year
2019 - 81 permits issued, total construction value $5.4 million
2020 - 79 permits issued, total construction value $2.85 million
2021 - 85 permits issued, total construction value $5.3 million
2022 - 110 permits issued, total construction value $18.8 million

Effie predicts early spring

efie

Effie the Dinosaur was up early on a brisk Thursday morning, February 2. She was happy that when she looked down, she did not see her shadow. This means that spring will come early, and along with it, many visitors from all over the world coming to say hi!

Tyrrell celebrates half million visitor record

The Royal Tyrrell Museum took a moment on Friday, January 27, to reflect on possibly the best year it has ever had.
The museum has been a premier tourism draw since it opened in 1985.
In 2022 it set a record by welcoming 501,430 visitors. This is the first time since the museum began charging admission in 1991 it has surpassed half a million visitors in a calendar year.
Jason Martin, director of Operations and Finance, credits the staff for its part in reaching this impressive milestone.
“Each and every one of you who work at the museum or support the Royal Tyrrell Museum contribute to this tourism success. You bring unforgettable experiences to life through your work, which impact people in more ways than we can imagine. Think of the sense of awe as people drive down the hill into the valley or walk into Cretaceous Alberta and hear the dinosaur roar for the first time, you help facilitate these experiences,” he said.
He also recognizes the importance of the museum as part of the local economy.
“Tourism is an important economic driver in the Drumheller valley, providing unique experiences, captivating visitors with our breathtaking landscape, our one-of-a-kind attractions and the vast history of the Alberta Badlands,” he said.
He also reaches out to the museum’s partners, including Travel Drumheller, Travel Alberta, Alberta Parks, Town of Drumheller, the Royal Tyrrell Musem Cooperating Society, the Chamber of Commerce, Alberta Infrastructure, Best Pro Cleaning Services and Visionary Catering.
This is just one more milestone for the museum, which is approaching four decades in the valley, with another on the horizon.
“We are quickly approaching another milestone event as we expect to welcome the museum’s 15th million visitors sometime this March, a feat we could not have achieved without the continuous support of our partners,” said Martin.

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