What started as an annual tradition of showcasing what the City of Cranbrook has to offer the travelling public has morphed into a challenge to demonstrate the vast scope of tourist opportunity in the East Kootenay.

For the last five years since the current managers took over the Kootenay Country Inn, located on the Highway 3/95 commercial strip in Cranbrook, they’ve produced a list of the ‘50 things to do in Cranbrook,’ as guide to some of the highlights of Cranbrook to people coming through the city.

Typically, the list has included restaurants, shopping, activities and public spaces, and included such well-known landmarks as the Elizabeth Lake bird sanctuary (pictured above) and Rotary Park, as well the ever-popular Heidout & Hot Shots Café. The scale has always being restricted to the city proper, and has sought to highlight small and independent establishments as much as possible. The current list can be found at the motel’s website, www.mykci.biz.

With tourism and the tourism industry becoming more and more on the public radar, as evidenced through such signs as a renewed interest in developing a Destination Marketing Organization (AKA Tourism Cranbrook), it was decided a broader, more ambitious approach was in order.

That’s why this year, which coincides with the 50^th anniversary of being in business for the motel, an extra zero has been added to the list, and the geographic scope expanded.

So the challenge is now to find ‘500 Things to do in the Cranbrook Region,’ as defined by anything within a 90 minute one-way drive. Fernie and Creston are in play, as well as Radium Hot Springs and anything on the way to the US border.

In order to engage with the public and have them offer up suggestions for the list, a draw is being held through the Kootenay Country Inn’s Facebook page, where more details including the rules can be found & the prize is a two-night stay at the motel, with breakfast included, courtesy of the nearby Husky Travel Centre.

Jeremy Youngward,

Kootenay Country Inn

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