News
Cranbrook Archives, Museum & Landmark Society Announcement
January 29, 2025
Today we are pleased to announce that the Cranbrook Archives, Museum and Landmark Society (CAMAL) has been selected as the operator of Fort Steele Heritage Town through a competitive bid process by the Province of British Columbia. We extend our gratitude to the Government of British Columbia, the other bidding parties, and the staff at Fort Steele Heritage Town for their dedication to preserving this cherished heritage site.
As the contract with the Friends of Fort Steele concludes, we would like to acknowledge and thank their staff and volunteers for their years of service and unwavering commitment to Fort Steele Heritage Town. Their work has laid the foundation for its continued success, and we are grateful for your contributions.
CAMAL brings a wealth of experience through its operation of the Cranbrook History Centre. With deep local roots and a longstanding commitment to preserving the region’s heritage for over 45 years, the organization is uniquely positioned to create synergies between the Cranbrook History Centre and Fort Steele Heritage Town. These shared values and resources will strengthen the visitor experience, ensuring both sites remain vital cultural and historical destinations.
We would also like to recognize and honour that our work is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Ktunaxa and Shuswap First Nations. CAMAL is committed to engaging with the Ktunaxa community throughout this process. Specific commitments include integrating diverse voices into our decision-making processes, seeking opportunities to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into exhibits and programming, and advancing the work of repatriation.
CAMAL is committed to ensuring a smooth transition and working collaboratively with the Heritage Branch, as well as the dedicated staff and volunteers of Fort Steele. One of our key goals is to maintain many of the beloved community traditions that make Fort Steele special while bringing renewed vibrancy to the site through innovative programs, events, and visitor experiences.
We are excited to build upon the site’s legacy, focusing on the preservation, protection, and enhancement of Fort Steele’s unique heritage assets. As an integral part of the local and regional tourism economy, CAMAL is dedicated to managing it responsibly, responsively, and with a focus on strengthening its role as a cultural and heritage tourism destination.
I would like to once again thank the Heritage Branch, the Province of BC, the board of directors of the Society, and others who have supported us in this process. I would also like to personally thank the management team of Honor Neve (Chief Heritage Officer) and Jared Teneese (Chief Operation Officer) – it was their vision, expertise, commitment, and dedication that has led to this announcement today.
About CAMAL:
The Cranbrook Archives, Museum and Landmark Society (CAMAL) has been operating the Cranbrook History Centre and maintaining several historic landmarks in the City of Cranbrook for 49 years. CAMAL first operated the Cranbrook Railway Museum in the late 1970s, with the restoration, interpretation, and display of several passenger railcars, and a historic railway station transported from Elko, BC to Cranbrook to prevent its demolition. Since 2004, the scope of the organization has expanded. CAMAL now operates a community heritage and culture facility, developing and delivering tourism-focused attractions and events, managing collections and archives, delivering community programs, ensuring the conservation of historical structures, and delivering educational experiences.
The focus of the organization has also expanded from a local railway focus to include regional paleontology and community-focused narratives. CAMAL prioritizes renewal and growth, ensuring the Cranbrook History Centre is a space where diverse voices are heard, where deeper connections are made with one another and with the landscapes around us, and where the long-term sustainability of our local community is at the forefront of decision-making.
CAMAL’s list of specific interconnected priorities include:
- Maintain Sustainable Funding
- Promote Diversity & Inclusion
- Build Community Confidence
- Create Strong Organizational Systems
This focus has created an effective organization with demonstrable experience in delivering an all-season tourism attraction, asset management, managing people, developing exceptional visitor experiences, fund development, emergency planning, heritage resource management, and contract and project management.