Staff at Fort Steele Heritage Town in B.C.’s East Kootenay are at odds with the board running the site, as questions about the upcoming season linger, and the town’s historic steam locomotive has been taken out of operation.
The heritage town, just outside Cranbrook, is home to one of the few operational steam locomotives in Canada.
Staff have questioned decisions made by board of the Friends of Fort Steele Society, which operates the site. Fort Steele Heritage Town is owned and overseen by the province.
“Employees are tired and they’re sad at where we’re at at this point,” Fort Steele Heritage Town worker Darla Sparrow told CBC News.
An email from the society’s board to staff, which was obtained by CBC News, said it has advised the province that operations of the 1077 steam locomotive will be suspended for 2024, pending a full independent review.
According to Fort Steele, the train was built in 1923 and served as a logging hauler until 1969, making it one of the longest-serving steam locomotives in Canada.
It was moved to the heritage town in 1990.
“The train is 101 years old and the board felt that it was prudent to have an evaluation — an independent evaluation — of our entire operations, given the age of the equipment and the amount of rolling stock we have,” Kevin Weaver, president of the Friends of Fort Steele Society told CBC News.
Train staff say an independent review is conducted annually, but Weaver says what has been ordered is a more thorough evaluation to ensure the train’s long-term viability and safety.
Weaver says he isn’t sure when the evaluation will take place or when the train might be back up and running, but there is hope the train could operate later this season.
Shannon Panko, a conductor at Fort Steele, says the move has left her without work, along with her colleagues.
“So the five of us are essentially out of a job — a seasonal job, but it’s still a job we love,” said Panko. “It’s our happy place. Everybody that works at Fort Steele is so dedicated and passionate.”
B.C.’s tourism ministry says the site is also undergoing infrastructure improvements, including repairs to the visitor centre, which was damaged by fire last year. It went on to say the Fort Steele Heritage Town is expected to launch its summer season by June 15.
Reduced board
The Friends of Fort Steele now has three board members — three others recently resigned, according to staff.
“We also don’t trust the board at this point,” said Sparrow. “We’ve been through a lot with them.”
The contract between the province and the society expired at the end of March, but it has since been renewed for another year.
According to Weaver, the contract was supposed to go out for a request for proposal last fall in what would have been an open competition for organizations to bid on operating the site, but repairs and upgrades were needed.
“Our goal is to get the site ready so that when the province wants to put out the tender, it’s in a condition that they can put it out to tender so there will be a fair, open competition,” said Weaver.
Society memberships were suspended last year, according to Weaver.
The board says it’s in the process of renewing bylaws and memberships are expected to be back online once that process is complete.
Employees unionized in January and a group of employees and volunteers have formed their own society, the Fort Steele Heritage and Nature Society.
“We’ve been working hard for months to try and work with this board and we’re not getting anywhere.” Sparrow said. “So we’ve got this backup society and we’re willing to take over.”
Weaver says negotiations with the union will be starting shortly, which makes Panko optimistic.
“I feel frustrated, but I feel hopeful,” she said.
B.C.’s tourism ministry says it’s aware of the concerns at Fort Steele.
It says the ministry and the society have sought expertise to assess and address the concerns and the board is working to hire a new CEO and director of operations.