Let’s connect people, places, and possibilities!

Valley Connect is about connecting people, places and possibilities. It’s a starting point for public transportation in Drumheller and beyond.  Valley Connect combines a pilot shuttle bus and a feasibility study to explore how public transportation can help our community. 

You can join the journey by attending upcoming community engagements, sharing your input, and supporting the pilot shuttle bus planned for summer 2026.  

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada (Rural Transit Solutions Fund – Feasibility Study) and the Province of Alberta (Small Community Opportunity Program). 

What’s New

Open House – February 25 

Thank you to the more than 50 community members who attended the Valley Connect Open House to learn about the project and share their feedback. 

Your input on the draft routes will help shape the final Feasibility Study, which will be presented to Town of Drumheller Council on June 9. Feedback on the hop-on, hop-off shuttle graphic will also help refine the final version launching this summer. 

Community members also voted on the location of the central stop for the hop-on, hop-off bus pilot. The Downtown Plaza was selected and will serve as the main hub for the route, with buses stopping there at the start, middle, and end of each loop. 

As with all parts of the pilot, this location is a starting point and may evolve as we learn what works best once the service is running. 

Missed the event? 
Explore the information panels below to see what was shared. 

Summer Shuttle Bus Pilot – Funded and Growing 

Thanks to the generous support of the Drumheller & District Chamber of Commerce and Community Futures Big Country, the Summer Shuttle Bus Pilot is officially funded and will be moving visitors around the valley this summer! 

While the pilot is confirmed, community contributions can help us do more. Every additional dollar extends the reach and impact of the shuttle. With additional support, we can: 

• Run the shuttle for more hours and more days 

• Create stronger connections between visitors, residents, and local businesses 

• Gather more insight to inform long-term transportation solutions for Drumheller and the valley 

Financial and in-kind contributions are welcome. In-kind support may include items such as discounted fuel, sign printing, or other operational needs. 

To contribute or explore opportunities, please contact Lana Phillips (destinationdevelopment@traveldrumheller.com, 403-436-0136) 

Together, we can keep our community—and our valley—moving. 

 

The Destination Development Plan

The Destination Development Plan (DDP) lays out a detailed approach to support development of Drumheller as a tourism destination over the long term. The future potential for tourism in Drumheller is only constrained by perceptions of what tourism currently is and supported by the vision of what it can become.

To download and read the full plan here or read on to check some of the highlights that we are implementing from the plan.

What We’ve Been Doing

Together with the community we’ve been working turning the Destination Development Plan into action. Check out highlights from the work to date. 

Summer Visitor Survey  

Together, with the help of over 80 local attractions and businesses, we collected insights from over 3,000 visitors, in 2024.  The results of the 30 survey questions, can help the region to: 

• help build itineraries,   
• improve marketing, 
• create new experiences, and     
• attract investment.  

New Tourism Signs 

The abandoned brown tourism signs, located at 6 attractions across the valley, got a refresh in 2024. The aim of the refresh was to:   

• Show the diversity of opportunities in the region,  
• Highlight attractions that serve as a significant draw to the region, and  
• Help move visitors throughout the valley, enabling visibility by drive-by traffic.  

The visitor experience improved by using symbols and colouring typical of highway signage in Alberta.  

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Plan Highlights

Guiding Principles

• Work with the community to ensure that tourism and community goals are fully aligned and that there is mutual benefit derived from our actions.
• Unite the tourism industry and its supporters through open communication, collaboration, and partnerships.
• Welcome all visitors warmly, ensuring they leave feeling like they were our guest and not merely a customer.
• Commit to providing authentic experiences that communicate our unique rural history and that celebrates the people that call this place home.
• Encourage an entrepreneurial environment that fosters creativity, bold action, and innovation.
• Strive to protect our one-of-a-kind natural and agricultural environment to ensure its enjoyment by current and future generations of residents and guests.

Opportunities

Short-term

Medium-to-longer-term

Sign up to Stay Up-to-Date

If you have any questions about the project or the engagement process, please contact Lana Phillips, Destination Development Implementation Manager Travel Drumheller at 403-436-0136 destinationdevelopment@traveldrumheller.com.