COCHRANE - One of the region’s largest attractions is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat, well known for attracting people near and far, opened its doors in August of 2004.
At the Cochrane council meeting on Tuesday (March 12), the habitat's manager Amy Baxendell-Young talked about its quarterly report, noting that they are celebrating the milestone with several events.
“The biggest one is going to be our gala. We haven't had a gala since pre-COVID and we're going to be holding it on site this year. So, invitations will go out very soon,” Baxendell-Young said.
Historically the gala has been held at the Tim Horton’s Event Centre, however, she said this year’s event will be held on-site to allow guests to rediscover the habitat and what the centre has to offer.
“This cocktail-style event will feature live music, food, drinks, and a silent auction. Invitations will be sent directly to our donors and corporate sponsors, followed by advertisements online and around the community,” she said.
“We look forward to connecting with past, present, and future supporters to show our gratitude for their support and to build new connections in order for us to continue to grow."
Although they had a rocky start to the snowmobile tourism season, Baxendell-Young said they have continued to receive a steady stream of visitors this year.
SEE: Cochrane polar bears attracting growing number of people
“It's getting busier every year, which is really fantastic. Half of our admissions come from people over five hours away from Cochrane. So, we're still drawing people from outside the region,” she said.
The number of visitors travelling less than three hours to the habitat has also increased, Baxendell-Young said.
“We also see a lot more families and a lot more memberships this year. So, we're wondering if maybe the warmer weather people are out and about more with their families, because it's not as freezing cold,” she said.
“So, as much as I'm definitely up for ‘let's have more winter,’ it has been interesting to kind of see how that we've been affected by that.”
