When the Minnewanka Landing resort opened in Alberta in 1888 it was meant to attract sport fishermen and others who wanted a pleasant holiday. In winter months it catered to skiers.
No one suspected that the resort itself would be at the bottom of Lake Minnewanka half a century later. Now, scuba divers are attracted to the site.
The necessities of the Second World War came into play and that changed everything. The Calgary Power Company needed more hydroelectricity to power an ammonium nitrate explosive plant for the war effort. The Canadian government approved a project to expand water capacity in 1941.
A dam was built and it raised the water level by almost 100 feet. The resort ended up at the bottom of the enlarged lake, 60 feet beneath the surface. So were cottage lots that could have been leased, as well as restaurants and hotels.
Now, along with the Minnewanka Landing, they are attractions for scuba divers who are equipped to withstand the frigid water.
YouTube: Ken Pon
