York Boat Picnic Shelter
It was a long time coming, but in 1997, the Foundation officially opened the Northwestern Utilities York Boat Picnic shelter adjacent to the Fort complex. The shelter doubles as protection for both the York boats and for people that should desire to have a picnic overlooking the North Saskatchewan River.
"The York boat, named for the Hudson's Bay Company's York Factory, refers to an inland boat with long, pointed ends, closely resembling the fishing boats of the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland." (1) The shelter is a welcome addition to the depiction of the role the river played in the development of Edmonton and the Fur Trade Era. Funds for this project were received from Northwestern Utilities (now a division of the ATCO Group).