Category: Canada

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Canada Ft Mac World

Interesting Facts About Fort MacMurray International Airport

  • Fort MacMurray International Airport is one of the busiest airports in Canada, with more than 80,000 flight arrivals and departures and almost two million passengers in the last year alone.
  • There is just a single runway at Fort MacMurray International Airport. This runway is made of asphalt and it is more than 7,500 feet long.
  • A new terminal was just completed at the airport to provide room for additional passengers, flights, and staff.
  • Fort MacMurray International Airport is a public airport that is owned and operated by the Fort MacMurray Airport Authority. This is a not for profit organization.
  • In 2013 alone the economic activity  generated by Fort MacMurray International Airport was more than $400 million dollars. The airport is vital to the surrounding community and the oil production efforts in the area.
  • There are over 15 food and beverage outlets in the airport. These include Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Subway, Burger King, Jugo Juice, Earl’s Kitchen, and others.
  • Fort MacMurray International Airport features approximately 22,000 parking spaces that have power, and there are 4 parking stands for aircraft and 4 air bridges as well.
  • A shuttle bus service and a play area for children are just a couple of the amenities that visitors will find at Fort MacMurray International Airport.
  • There are 7 different airlines that arrive and depart at this airport. These include Air Canada, Air Canada Express, McMurray Aviation, Sunwing Airlines, WestJet Encore, Northwestern Air, and WestJet.
  • There are 2 baggage carousels at Fort MacMurray International Airport for passenger luggage.
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Dining Out in Fort MacMurray

Dining out in the city can be a terrific way to spend a night on the town, but what dining options does Fort MacMurray offer? There are many different places and a range of cuisine and dining establishment options to choose from in the area. In fact you may be surprised at the extent of the restaurant selection in an area that is so remote. You can find fast food favorites like Subway, A&W, and many others if you just want a quick bite to eat. If you are looking for a restaurant with a little more class and elegance you could try the Fuji Japanese Restaurant, the Chef’s Table by Mitchell’s, or the Prime Social Kitchen. All of these selections have received terrific reviews for the food, the environment, and the staff.

Fort MacMurray offers an extensive selection of food choices. You can select Hu’s Pizza & Donairs, the Wood Buffalo Brewing Co, or the Keg Steakhouse & Bar if you want excellent food in a casual atmosphere. If you are looking for an exceptional all you can eat crab buffet then you will want to visit the Sawridge Hotel, but if you are looking for top notch vegetarian then  Original Joe’s Fort Mac has some dishes you may want to try. Sweet Basil features authentic Vietnamese cuisine that has customers raving and coming back for more. Fort MacMurray has the dining out choices that you want and the exceptional dishes that you are hoping for. The biggest problem you should have is trying to decide which restaurant to try tonight.

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Canada Ft Mac

Transportation To, From, and Around Fort MacMurray

Getting to, from, and around Fort MacMurray is not difficult, and there are a number of transportation methods that can be used. These methods of transportation include:

 

  • Airplane- Many people arrive in and depart from this area using the Fort MacMurray International Airport. A new terminal has increased the capabilities of the airport and more flights are arriving and departing each day as a result.
  • Greyhound Bus Service- Greyhound bus service provides transportation to and from Fort MacMurray for those who are willing to take this trip. Greyhound offers reasonable rates for travel but you should expect to take a little longer to get there than if you were taking a flight.
  • Local Bus Service-The Wood Buffalo Transit System provides local bus service to the Fort MacMurray area, and the fare to ride this bus is inexpensive. The buses operate on a fixed route and regular schedule.
  • Rental Vehicle- It is possible to rent a car or other type of vehicle and drive yourself around. If you are not familiar with these streets and neighborhoods you could end up getting lost or spend a lot of time trying to get and follow directions before you reach the desired destination.
  • Limousine- A limousine can help you travel around Fort MacMurray in style if your budget allows, and this is the ultimate in transportation convenience and comfort. Renting a limo can be expensive though, especially if you plan on being in the region for an extended time.
  • Taxicabs- If you need to get from point A to point B one option is to call a taxicab, and there are a number of cab companies in the area that provide service to Fort MacMurray.
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Canada Ft Mac

Fort MacMurray Summer Activities for Kids

If you are a parent in Fort MacMurray then one of the pressing thoughts as Summer draws near is what activities are there for your children while school is out? Fort MacMurray has a wide range of activities that will keep your kids entertained and help them grow during the summer months. Why not enroll the kids in the Challenger soccer camp, or take them to the local library and let them check out a few books? There are always gymnastic classes, martial arts lessons, overnight camps, music lessons and camps, and much more for young people to do during the summer without even leaving the region. A quick online search will show many different options and activities for kids of all ages.

Whether you are looking for sports, culture, entertainment, or something else for your kids in the Fort MacMurray area during the summer months you should be able to find what you are looking for. There are arts and crafts classes, nature camps, camping trips, hiking excursions, book readings, and many other possibilities. You can simply look for activities which meet your child’s interests and then sign them up. There are half day camps, all day camps, and camps that involve several days or weeks. Arrange for your child to take a painting class or learn how to create pottery, or let them join a local book club for kids. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination and your willingness to search out summer opportunities for kids.

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Canada

The Early History of Fort MacMurray, Alberta

Fort MacMurray, Alberta is a location with a rich and interesting history. Until late in the 18th century the area was inhabited by Cree, and it was not until 1778 that the very first European visited the region. The Cree used the surface deposits of the Athabasca oil sands as a treatment for waterproofing canoes. Fort MacMurray and the oil sands have both played a very vital role in Canada’s petroleum industry. In the 1920s the Alcan Oil Company was the first to run tests on a bulk basis, and the first business to actually extract oil successfully from the Athabasca oil sands was the Abasands Oil Company, but there was not a big volume of production. The oil was extracted from the sand by utilizing hot water.

By the time WWII began the Athabasca oil sands area was capable of producing more than 1,000 barrels of oil a day, and the region was an important staging area for Canada and the USA during the war. By the year 1947 the name was simply MacMurray because the fort had been dropped, but in 1962 the city was named Fort MacMurray once more. The population of the town had reached around 2,000 residents in 1966, and in the coming years the growth of the town really exploded. The Great Canadian Oil Sands was opened the following year, and other oil refining plants soon started appearing as well. By the year 1971 Fort MacMurray had a population of 6,847, and this grew up to more than 31,000 within the next decade.