Wow 2 posts in the span of 2 days? Boy you guys are getting quality content from me, FOR FREE! Enjoy this one.

“Nobody in Alberta knows how to drive.” You know, I agree with this statement. But wait, how would I know? Well…. 

Our PLP 9 class took a 9 day trip to Alberta to answer the question: how does place impact WHO you are? To help, we spun the wheel of death to decide what groups we are in. There were 7 groups, each groups assigned with a group of people. The groups were Albertans, First Nations, Tourists, Business Owners, Artists, Wildlife & Students. I had to answer this question for Business Owners and make a final video on it! So how does place impact business owners? Lets find out! 

THREE VALLEY GAP CHATEAU & GHOST TOWN 

This place was our first official touristy stop on this trip and the business owner group had first dibs on interviews! Once we filmed our ghost town videos, in the ghost town we headed to a dining room where we were served dinner. After dinner, the business owners group got to interview Mr. George Bell, the owner of both the chateau and the ghost town. He explained that his father was the one who chose this location for the ghost town, so I asked him if he regrets the place his father chose. He answered with ‘its not the ideal location’, and thats because the ghost town is right of the Trans-Canada Highway, and most people are heading to a different destination so its hard to get people to stop over or even stay the night. George also talked about how they are an “off-the-grid” company, which means their power, electricity, resources and funding isn’t coming from the government. George and his employees have to generate electricity for the business at a big river up in the mountains, which he has to go check on regularly. But being the only privately owned ghost town in the world, is one of the reasons that brings in tourism. 

THE LAST SPIKE 

The Last Spike marks the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway on November 7, 1885. The Last Spike Gift Shop is a business at the tourist stop and the ladies who work there are in charge of the shop. Being in Craigallechie, the ladies who originally lived in downtown Calgary, moved deliberately to work at the shop because its a stable job for them. Now they only live 5 minutes away from The Last Spike so they can work there. Place has impacted them by forcing them to move away from their lives in Calgary, to work at the gift shop. The location itself is a bit of a detour if you are stopping to visit, which usually makes people not motivated to come out that far. 

ROYAL TYRELL MUSEUM 

The location of the Royal Tyrell Museum is crucial because the museum is built into the band lands which is where many fossils were found and because its built in the dinosaur capital of the world! There are still many fossils buried in the area, plants and animals that call that area home, but if humans keep invading their area its not going to be very habitable for them in the long run. For example, there is tour that we went on into the badlands and for that tour they have to pave roads and paths through the land so humans could walk on it. The environment in the area has already been pretty eroded and domesticated but if we continue to break down this historical site, fossils will be destroyed and animals could be completely wiped out in the area. 

I mentioned something about a video before in the start remember? Well now you get to see it! Take a look! 

CONCLUSION

In the end, I’m confident in saying that I’ve answered this question successfully! Place impacts business owners in their social and personal lives, it affects why the business is still running and how they actually make money. I talked about 3 places we went on our Alberta Field School that I felt represented my answer. I’ve said this before and I will continue forever: I’ll never stop learning about how place impacts who I am! 

Drop a comment and lets talk about my posts! Feedback or just saying hello, anything’s okay! 

See you in the next one!

~Malaika🤠