Into town, around the block, there it is!

When my brother(s) visits, we like to take some time to just drive and explore. I have been checking out ideas for this year’s Thanksgiving visit, which made me reminisce about the day trip we took last fall.

When that urge to explore strikes, a good place to head is Kalyna County, northeast of Edmonton, Alberta. Not only does the county boast the most churches per capita of anywhere in Canada, it also has the most roadside attractions.

Our adventure began with breakfast in Sherwood Park, then east to Vegreville to see the rotating pysanka (Ukrainian easter egg). Vegreville’s Ukrainian heritage dates back to the 1800’s. The egg was constructed to honor the RCMP centennial and their provision of peace and security in the community. The elk at the entrance of Elks Park, where the egg is located, is also somewhat of an attraction.

  

Travelling east and north, we arrived at Two Hills. A little searching brought us to Two Hills Heritage Park. There stand two statues carved by John Weaver and donated by the Dowhaniuk family. The statues were unveiled in 1992 to served as a tribute to the grandparents and parents of the Dowhaniuk family and all pioneers of the Two Hills area, Alberta and Canada.

   

Heading east, we stopped in Myrnam to see their Dove Park. The name of the village means “peace be with us”. The park has a large dove, the symbol of the peace of the community, along with benches and a memorial monument and plaques honoring former residents of the area.

Following the highway further east and north brought us across the North Saskatchewan River to Elk Point. As we exited the north side of town we encountered the Peter Fidler statue. It was erected to honor the explorer and map maker, Peter Fidler, and stands 32 feet tall.

We continued going north to the village of Glendon. There it was not hard to locate Pyrogy Drive, which took us to Pyrogy Park and the site of the “world’s largest pyrogy”. Many tourists venture into this little village every year to see the giant pyrogy.

As our route began to return west, we arrived in St. Paul. This is the home of the world’s first UFO landing pad, a large concrete structure weighing 130 tons. It was built in 1967 to celebrate Canada’s centennial, and the flower bed in front of the landing pad is shaped in the triangles of the centennial symbol.

Next was the village of Vilna, an area known for excellent mushroom picking. In a park near the centre of the village stand three mushrooms built in 1993 and each measuring 20 feet high. The mushrooms are of the trichloma uspale variety, which are used as a traditional ingredient in the region’s ethnic dishes.

Smoky Lake was a few more miles down the road. We arrived the day after the annual pumpkin weigh-in and the Great White North Pumpkin Fair. We visited the downtown pumpkin park, a monument erected by volunteers of all ages in 2004. It consists of seven pumpkins, the tallest being nine feet high and all weighing over 32,000 pounds. 

With time flying by, we skipped two attractions that we had visited on a previous trip. Victoria Trail, a gravel road along the North Saskatchewan River, leads to the RCMP Memorial Statue. It was built in 1998 and stands over 14.5 feet high. The statue  overlooks the river and symbolizes the contributions of the RCMP to the area and to the province.

At the junction of Hwy 15 and Sec Hwy 831 is the Skaro Shrine. This elaborate orthodox shrine is the scene of an annual pilgrimage in August of each year. To climb the hill and stand at the foot of the cross is a unique experience.

Back to the current adventure, the next stop was Andrew, Alberta, home of former premier Ed Stelmach. At the end of Stelmach Avenue in the Lions Club Park flies the world’s largest Mallard duck. It has a 25-foot wingspan, weighs 3,500 pounds, and was erected in 1992 to represent the town’s association with nearby Whitford Lake and the abundant water fowl that gathers there.

A few kilometers further and we were in Mundare, “sausage capital of Alberta” and home of Stawnichy’s Meat Processing, a popular garlic sausage producer. In a park on Main Street stands the world’s largest sausage. Erected in 2001, the sausage is 42 feet high, 14 feet across, and weighs about six tones.

We completed our adventure with supper in Leduc and "home" to our fifth wheel parked in the Leduc Lions Campground.