Have you ever wandered the streets of the beautiful town of Canmore, spent the day cross country skiing at the Nordic Center, or hiked Ha Ling Peak to gain a 360° view of the rocky mountains? Then chances are you’ve driven on Spray Lakes Road, a project of Fred Mannix & Company Ltd. in 1948 that remains influential in the lives of Canadians today.
Following the war and the discovery of oil, the demand for electricity in Alberta grew so rapidly that existing infrastructure could not accommodate the need. Calgary Power hired the Mannix Company for the Spray Lakes Development, building dams, canals and roadways. Most notably, Spray Lakes Road, Spray Lakes Dam, and the Three Sisters Dam. The project was pretty large for its time, and very challenging in terms of engineering. However, through hard work and innovation the project was completed, even setting a record at the time for dirt moving. Graham Pollock, a veteran in the Mannix Group of Companies, stated, “The Mannix Company had very good rapport with Calgary Power. Calgary Power’s people preferred to deal with people that they could trust to do a good job.”
Not only does that reputation remain today, but so does Spray Lakes road, which continues to allow us to do what we love – explore this great country.
