"River of Death and Discovery" -   Planning for the Museum

In 2003 a steering committee was established to determine the feasibility of a dinosaur museum for the Grande Prairie region.  A consultant from Edmonton was hired to report on the economic feasibility, type of building, location and to assess the Palaeontological significance of the Pipestone Creek Bone Bed.

Recommendations from the consultant include the following:     

• to build two buildings in the Pipestone Creek area; one at the top of the hill and the other over the bone bed,       

• a staircase displaying local geology would connect the two buildings,      

• the lower building includes an indoor viewing area of the exposed bonedbed,    

• static and active displays will provide a learning environment   

• a theatre will accommodate large groups of people and will showcase palaeontology information    

•  hands-on activities will include dig experiences at the bonebed and throughout other sites of the Peace,

• to include an active research component by joint venturing with Grande Prairie Regional College, University of Alberta and Tyrrell Museum  

• Cost estimate: $30 million

Before raising money, two significant questions were answered
by a drilling project done in February 2005. 

1.  the bone bed does exist beyond the previously excavated 30m x 3m area

2.  the hill is stable enough for development

Bone Bed

The bone bed was encountered at the predicted elevation in every borehole.  Bones and bone fragments occurred over a 3 to 5 foot interval.  The spatial area of the bonebed now can be classified as the largest and richest Ceratopsian bonebed in the world. The dimensions of the bonebed are truly extraordinary.  The drilling confirmed bone as far as 200 feet from the existing bonebed!
 

Geotechnical Summary

The program has identified favourable conditions for the proposed main interpretive building.  Constraints to a large building were noted and will be a factor when designing the structure.
 

Ongoing work:    

• Developing a fund raising package,      

• Phase II of the Geo-Technical program      

• Further exploration through the Palaeontological Society of the Peace.
   

For current information on the museum project please visit: www.riverofdeath.ca