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Representatives from the provincial and federal governments were at Heritage Park Friday afternoon, announcing their support to the tune of $3.5 million for the construction of a natural resources interpretive centre.

Calgary Centre MP Kent Hehr pledged more than $2 million from the federal government for the centre, which will open at the park midway through 2021. Provincial Infrastructure Minister Prasad Panda added a $1.5-million commitment from the province.

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The park plans to break ground on the interpretive centre on Sept. 23.

Phase 1 of the project consists of restoring the Dingman No. 1 Discovery Well, where oil was found in Turner Valley in 1914.

Photo by Supplied image / Heritage Park

“The restoration (of the well) is about 70 per cent complete,” said Alida Visbach, president and CEO of Heritage Park. “The working parts are artifacts … they will be functioning so guests can see how a cable drop would work.”

The first phase of the project will also include an oil storage tank, a coal tunnel and mine, a park warden’s cabin from the 1930s and an Indigenous nature trail.