The Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, March 27 2019 at the Badlands Community Facility. The evening will begin with a wine and cheese networking reception at 6:30pm, followed by the meeting at 7:00pm.

AGENDA
• President & Executive Director Reports
• 2017-18 Audited Financial Statements
• Election of Board of Directors
• Roundtable Discussion: Future of World’s Largest Dinosaur
$20 for members, $25 for prospective members. RSVP by Friday, March 22 online or call the Chamber at 403-823-8100.

In preparation for the AGM, the DDCC is seeking members interested in serving on the Board of Directors.  Members are requested to review the information regarding Board of Director expectations and to submit the application for consideration. For more information on serving on the Board of Directors, please contact Chamber Executive Director, Heather Bitz at 403-823-8100.

World's Largest Dinosaur Background

The World’s Largest Dinosaur (WLD), owned and operated by the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce (DDCC), was a unique ground-breaking project for Drumheller. Construction began in the fall of 1999, with the official grand opening held on October 13, 2000. The total project cost was $1,065,000.

One of the original goals of the project was to provide visitors to Drumheller with another year-round attraction. An attraction aimed at bringing visitors closer to the downtown core. This goal has certainly been achieved. On average over 110,000 people climb the World’s Largest Dinosaur each year. August 27, 2018 saw it welcome its 2 millionth visitor!

Another goal of the World’s Largest Dinosaur was to reinvest revenues generated by dinosaur admissions and giftshop sales back into the local community to further enhance it. As a result of successful financial management and greater than expected revenues, the debts of the WLD construction were paid off earlier than expected; thus, enabling the establishment of the World’s Largest Dinosaur Legacy Fund. To date over $600,000 has been injected back into our community for a variety of worthwhile projects.

In addition to a portion of funds generated by the World’s Largest Dinosaur and giftshop being set aside for the Legacy Fund, 25% of admission proceeds are designated for the WLD Capital Repair Fund. The intent of the Capital Repair Fund is to save for future maintenance costs required for the dinosaur, which have proven to be significant.

Over the last 18 years, there has been a range of maintenance projects done on the World’s Largest Dinosaur, including three significant repairs. In July 2005, the palm tree brace was installed to provide further stability to the structure at an approximate cost of $10,000. During the spring of 2007, the WLD underwent repairs to the exterior fiberglass and received a fresh coat of paint, which totalled $42,246. In the fall of 2013, F & D Scene Changes Ltd. of Calgary was hired at a cost of $271,300 to do a scenic restoration and paint of the dinosaur, which saw repairs to the cracks in the exterior fiberglass, installation of a scenic wrap around the palm tree brace and a new paint scheme for the WLD. Throughout the years, there has been additional minor repairs and maintenance to the World’s Largest Dinosaur totalling almost $50,000.
In late 2015, the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce engaged the services of Williams Engineering of Calgary to conduct a structural assessment of the interior structure and exterior envelope of the World’s Largest Dinosaur. The site review was initiated as water seepage was observed in the interior and exterior of the structure. Upon completion of the assessment, a comprehensive report was provided to the DDCC by Williams Engineering. While some deficiencies (mostly cosmetic) were noted, the main steel structure of the dinosaur is in good condition and its integrity has not been compromised. With the structural assessment in hand, the DDCC Board of Directors has been working through a list of recommendations for repair. In the summer of 2017, a fan system was installed to improve air flow throughout the structure and to help alleviate any condensation build up. Going forward, the Board will continue to prioritize and develop plans for continued maintenance of the structure.
As a result of the structural assessment and the age of the World’s Largest Dinosaur, the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors have spent much time and energy in the last three years discussing the future of the dinosaur. These discussions have included future maintenance, longevity of the steel structure, and cost benefit analysis. In the years to come, the Board has some important decisions to make. These decisions are not taken lightly and will be made with the best interests of the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce and its members in mind.

Just like the T-Rex that roamed the earth millions of years ago, which appeared to have a life expectancy of around 30 years, so appears our beloved WLD. With that in mind, we ask you to come to the AGM with the following questions in mind:
• What would the “New” experience be?
• Where would it be located? Pros & Cons of each location.
• Who would the partners in this project be?

Please join us with your ideas at our AGM on Wednesday, March 27 for roundtable discussions on this exciting development!

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