River Walk Update

Some fine-tuning to the new pathway along the side of the Medicine River near the Historic Markerville Creamery! Al and John completed work on the stairs by installing a hand railing, and Byron and Dave worked on smoothing out some of the bumps and dips along the path.

Here’s a previous post about River Walk!

Kirby, and Stephansson House

Stephan Stephansson was known as “the poet of the Rocky Mountains.” Immigrating to North America in 1873, he and his family eventually relocated to the Markerville district of Alberta in 1889. He was a hard-working farmer and community leader who provided for his wife and eight children, and still found the time to write over 2300 pages of poetry and more than 1700 pages of letters, essays, articles, and short stories.

Stephansson House Provincial Historic Site is a wonderful afternoon adventure that everyone can enjoy. A path from the Interpretive Center leads you through a park-like setting to his home, restored to a snapshot of 1927, including original furnishings.

During the visit I not only received an informative tour from interpreter Emma Belich, but also was greeted by none other than the infamous Jólakötturinn. Also known to the locals as “Kirby”.

The historic site is located at 2230 Twp Rd 371, Red Deer County, Alberta (get directions), with paved roads all the way to the site’s entrance. I hope you enjoy the photos, but this is just a fraction of what you can experience by dropping in for your own visit.

Kirby would love to see you at Stephansson House. He takes his greeting duties seriously!

Continue reading Kirby, and Stephansson House

River Walk

Members of the Markerville community have imagined the appeal of a closer view of the Medicine River near the Creamery, and this summer a new walking trail is finally available, dubbed River Walk.

Starting from a gently sloped access point just off Riverside Street near Johnson Avenue, the path has been cleared and extended along the river’s edge towards the Walking Bridge. Stairs down the embankment from the memorial garden located on the east end of the bridge have been completed, for safe and easy access to the trail from the Creamery. A hand rail for the stairs is planned, but for now good balance and sturdy shoes are suggested when exploring the path.

Walking along the River Walk path you will soon come across a bench and chairs that have been donated. It’s a wonderful spot to enjoy the river view, watch and listen for birds, or just take a quiet moment for yourself.

The artist in you may find inspiration here or at other spots along the path for photography, sketching, or En plein air!

Here are photos and video of River Walk path taken at various times this summer, before and after the completion of the stairs by the walking bridge.

Continue reading River Walk