_________image_________ Howard Douglas (right) pictured here with Ayotte and Allard, came west in 1882 as superintendent of construction materials for Canadian Pacific Railways. In 1896 he was appointed Superintendent of Rocky Mountains Park (Banff). Douglas proved to be a valuable government representative during negotiations with Michel Pablo, allowing a fair and reasonable contract to be signed and carried out. He accompanied the first shipment of buffalo into Canada after personally attending to shipping arrangements with Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Canadian Pacific, and Grand Trunk Pacific Railways. His devotion to the project ensured continuity and organization during the several years before its completion. Douglas died in 1929. Planning The New Park From Start To Finish As Canada’s deal with Michel Pablo was formulating, a hurried search of land available to accommodate such a prize herd, scanned the new province of Alberta. An ideal grazing area east of the Battle River near the tiny town site of Denwood seemed a likely spot. This tract of relatively vacant land was positioned between the Wetaskiwin branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the more northern nearly completed Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. Arrangements to reserve approximately 160 square miles of public land were made by the Minister of the Interior, Frank Oliver in 1907. Any property owned by Hudson’s Bay Company or C.P.R. was surrendered in return for vacant land elsewhere. Shortly thereafter fencing of the area began as supplies such as tamarack posts and strong page wire arrived by the wagonload. Interior and exterior fences were erected, including a display paddock of 2800 acres, totaling 73 miles and $60,000 initially. A residence to house the superintendent and his family was also constructed. This was located just outside the original boundaries, northeast of the Park gates. A flurry of activity surrounded the area as the Park’s enclosures were completed. Denwood had moved a short distance west and was renamed Wainwright, due to the recent finalization of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway divisional point in 1908. Water tank, turntable, Fabyan Bridge and a raft of community related construction was underway. A much-needed medical official, Dr. Middlemass, arrived amid the bustle. R.A. Snyder, first G.T.P. stationmaster, found his place of employment the central point for more than just trains, with the restaurant “The Beanery” boasting a roaring business. Ladies in London were about to receive their first permanent waves (perms), and Wilfred Laurier was still Prime Minister of Canada when the much-celebrated arrival of the bison at Wainwright took place in June 1909. Crowds of spectators flocked near the tracks, setting up picnics, tethering horses, awaiting their first peek at the monarchs of the plains. Superintendent of the new park, Edward Ellis ceremoniously commenced Buffalo Park’s thirty-year existence.