Community organizers are aiming to raise approximately $100,000 to restore the Frank Slide memorial on Old Frank Road before the disaster’s 125th anniversary in 2028.
The proposal from the Blairmore Lions and the Frank Slide 125th Anniversary Committee includes a permanent monument, interpretive panels and repairs to the existing concrete and metal rails.
Myriah Sagrafena, manager of the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre, and Blairmore Lions representative Mary Anna Misseghers presented the concept to Crowsnest Pass council October 6.
They asked the municipality for a letter of support to accompany grant applications, permission related to the municipally owned site, help with cleanup and possible financial assistance. They also asked for council representation at the anniversary commemoration.
Council did not approve money or a support letter during the meeting. Administration said it would bring the letter request back for a motion, likely at a subsequent council meeting.
Sagrafena said the initial fundraising target is about $100,000. An early estimate placed the monument and work on the concrete and rails at approximately $60,000, while the cost of interpretive signs has not been determined.
“We want to shoot for the stars if we can,” Sagrafena said, adding the project could be scaled back if necessary.
The committee plans to seek federal and provincial grants and use local contractors and vendors where possible.
One potential source is the federal Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Legacy Fund. The program can cover up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenses, to a maximum of $500,000, but funding is competitive and eligibility would still have to be confirmed.
The existing memorial dates back to the years after a house and human remains were found during road work in 1924. The Blairmore Lions improved the site in 1953 by adding the decorative concrete border and surrounding rails, according to the delegation.
A bronze plaque later installed on a large rock was stolen around Christmas 2025. Sagrafena said the new marker would be designed as a more permanent obelisk-style monument similar to others in Coleman and Hillcrest.
The project would also add panels about the Clark family, the Ennis family and the history of the memorial site. Organizers intend to retain features including the decorative concrete and rails while clearing brush, trees and accumulated soil.
Sagrafena said the site is municipal land within the provincial historic resource boundary and the municipality’s restricted development area. The group wants to avoid excavation that could trigger an archaeological review.
Council members discussed possible lighting and the use of rocks or another barrier to protect the site from snowplows. Sagrafena emphasized that the rendering presented to council was an early concept rather than a final design.
The restored memorial is intended to be a centrepiece of events marking 125 years since the April 29, 1903 Frank Slide. The interpretive centre is also planning a reception and separate display renewals.
Detailed planning for anniversary events is expected to begin in 2027, with organizers considering several commemorative events during 2028.