Visitors from around the globe will have a chance to walk into Metis history, or get a literal bird’s eye view of the world at Metis Crossing, a new educational tourist facility and gathering place that opened near Smoky Lake on Friday.
Metis Nation of Alberta Vice President Trevor Gladue says the facility is just beginning to take shape. Initial upgrades of an old farmsite will allow visitors of all ages to see how Metis people in Alberta lived, traveled and provided for their families. In addition, the opportunities will increase annually for the next three years.
“We received support from many areas — $1 million from the province’s centennial grant, and $600,000 from the Belcourt Brosseau Foundation, Al Pac (Alberta Pacific Forest Industries), Encana, and Western Lakota to name a few.
“We purchased 512 acres, and an existing Metis farmsite along the North Saskatchewan River,” Gladue added.
Then the MNA upgraded an old barn that was the former site of countless barn dances, and began restoring much of the remainder of the farm site.
“It’ll be awesome, and reflect the past, the present and the future. It’ll show our old systems – the old York boat, Red River carts,” that became synonymous with the Metis settlers and voyageurs.
But there’s more, the VP of the MNA added.
“We’re also building a tree walk – a (overhead) bridge through the trees so visitors can view the world from a bird’s perspective.
“It’s the first in Western Canada, and will offer eco tours, gearing toward schools so kids can come out and get Metis and eco-education” at same time.
“There are trails being developed, a machine shed that we’ve upgraded so we can do programming, and offer a feeling of what it was like to build a Red River cart” or live as a settler in a younger Alberta.
The new heritage centre will someday offer courses on Metis heritage, he added, and some of that programming is already in the works.
“We’ve hired staff to start building a curriculum that will promote the Metis heritage and there’s already excitement from schools across the province. It’ll be a lot of work,” he adds, but the results should prove their worth.
The centre is a spin-off of a Back to Batoche canoe voyage that many members of the MNA undertook two years ago.
And as members prepare to open the new cultural centre, the remnants of a wagon train that began in Manitoba and was Batoche-bound will also carry on to Metis Crossing.
Gladue climbed aboard that wagon train for three days earlier this summer, and says it was an adventure that drew him back into the past.
Wagon train was an exercise in humility for MNA’s VP Gladue.
“It rained the whole time I was there, but I enjoyed every rain drop,” he said with a laugh.
“It humbled me, and reminded me of how our ancestors used to travel every day, and how we have it so easy now.
“It taught me about slowing down and working hard.”
He says the wagon train and boats will converge at Metis Crossing in time for the grand opening, and the same day some youth delegates will bring elders and officials from Edmonton to take part in the celebration.
“It’s coming together from all the traditional routes. We’ve had so much support from all over to make this happen. I’m very excited.
“Our culture and heritage pulls us together.”

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