A new program offered at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park is proving to be quite successful.

This is the first year Glenbow Ranch is offering bilingual interpretive tours and so far so good, shares Nathan Foy, Program and Outreach Coordinator for Glenbow Ranch. The free translated tours are seeing a good number of registrants and the staff are quite pleased.

Noticing a number of Park visitors who displayed a limited understanding of the English language, Glenbow Ranch organized five tours in other languages plus one in English. 

More than just explaining the history and environmental offerings the park and area provide, the main focus was to make all visitors feel welcome. "This was our way of producing a product that is inclusive for everyone regardless of their first language. We have also translated a whole bunch of our park maps in each of our languages, that way if you are unable to attend the tour you can always swing by our Visitor Interpretive Centre we have them all right there so you can learn more about the trail systems as well."

The educational tours offer an in-depth look at the human history but also the natural history of the area. Going as far back as the ice age 10-12,000 years ago, to touching on indigenous and European settlers, all the way to how the land was passed on provincially to the Harvie family, Foy shares they try to strike a great balance. "So on top of the history, we will also be focusing on what's currently present out there today as well; so all the biodiversity of both the local fauna and flora."

The five languages being offered in the bilingual interpretive tours are Spanish, French, Punjabi, Arabic and Tagalog. Already successfully hosting Spanish and Tagalog; tomorrow (August 11) the park is offering tours in Punjabi translated by Cochranite Paul Singh, a member of the Cochrane Immigrant Services Committee. With the programs successful start, Foy shares they are already looking at offering more language options next year including German and Dutch.

Tomorrow's Punjabi tour has 21 out of 32 spaces spoken for already but Foy says they will take more if you email him directly at experienceglenbow@grpf.ca, tomorrow's tour runs from 10 a.m. until noon and again from 1 to 3 p.m.

The following week will see Arabic and French translated tours and there are still spaces remaining in both.

You can find more information about Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, HERE.