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

ValleyConnect – Moving Public Transportation Forward

On October 6, Travel Drumheller presented the Valley Connect Final Report to Town Council, sharing the results of a successful summer shuttle bus pilot and recommendations for the next steps in advancing public transportation in Drumheller.

Building on the pilot’s success, including over 900 rides and overwhelmingly positive feedback, Travel Drumheller recommended that public transportation be included in the Town’s 2027 operating plans and budget, beginning with two priorities:

• Strengthen: Build on What We Have – Evaluate and improve the existing Valley Bus service and develop a longer-term plan for public transportation.
• Open: Provide Service for Everyone – Explore introducing a weekday fixed-route service accessible to residents and visitors.

Council expressed appreciation for the work undertaken and passed a motion accepting the Final Report as information and requesting that Administration bring forward additional information for future budget deliberations.

This is an important step forward for public transportation in Drumheller! It reflects the collaboration and support of many community partners, funders, businesses and residents who helped make Valley Connect possible.

Travel Drumheller will continue exploring opportunities to bring back a summer shuttle service in 2027 while supporting the broader conversation about connecting people, places and possibilities throughout the valley. 

ValleyConnect – Results and Community Input

On September 9, Travel Drumheller joined the Town of Drumheller’s Recreation, Arts & Wellness Exhibit to share results from the Valley Connect shuttle pilot and hear community perspectives on whether the Town should take the next steps toward public transportation in Drumheller. Click below to see what was shared. 

Summer Shuttle Bus Pilot – ValleyConnect

Both locals and visitors are welcome to ride the FREE hop-on, hop-off shuttle bus to get around the Drumheller valley this summer. This is a pilot project, which means we are testing the service to learn and improve. 

The bus will run Fridays and Saturdays from June 26 to August 29, 2026. The route: 

• Start at the Downtown Plaza (where it all connects)
• Choose from the alternating East (Atlas Coal Mine) and West (Royal Tyrrell Museum) loops
• Enjoy 2 hours to explore each stop, with a shorter scenic stop at the Hoodoos

Thank you to everyone of came and celebrated the launch of transportation here in the valley on May 5. It was a celebration of connection, accessibility and the continued growth of our vibrant tourism community.  

Public Transportation in the Valley 

On June 9, Travel Drumheller and consulting firm WSP presented the final Transit Feasibility Study to the Town of Drumheller’s Committee of the Whole. The study explores how public transportation could help address local transportation challenges and identifies potential options tailored to our community’s unique needs and resources. 

The findings provide valuable insights to support future planning and decision-making around transportation in Drumheller and the surrounding area. The presentation is an opportunity to learn more about what’s possible.

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. 

Explore the information panels or read the ‘What We Heard’ report to learn more! 

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! 

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

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.