BP39.0 - Last Chance Saloon - Rosedeer Hotel - Wayne, Alberta

On Saturday November 22nd we headed over to the Last Chance Saloon.  The saloon is in the Rosedeer Hotel in Wayne, Alberta.  My oldest daughter Hailey and my youngest daughter Helena had driven down the night prior, and they joined Chis and David and myself at the Saloon.

Ever since Chris and I first initiated the Beer Parlour Project, back in 2022, people have been proudly announcing to us that they know of the perfect location.  Over and over and over again we have been told that we MUST visit the Last Chance Saloon.  We have always been reluctant to do so, and put it off for quite some time.  Finally, earlier this year, we decided that we have to get it over with and visit the Saloon, just to put and end to the suggestions.  This was not meant with any disrespect whatsoever to the establishment as it is certainly a glorious old structure with a long history.  The problem is that for much of the year it is overrun with tourists.  Our project is intended to involve meeting with the locals that have grown up with the old hotels and are regular patrons.  There is none of this at the Last Chance Saloon, at least not in the summer months.

So, we decided that it would be good to visit in the off season, before the hotel shuts down for the season, but after most of the tourists are gone.  We were not disappointed.  The owner Paula and her family were wonderful to us, and the most enjoyable and entertaining hosts.  The saloon was not as packed as it is in the summer, but considering it was a cold evening in late November, it was a pretty good turnout.  

I ended up visiting with a few people that I knew.  Lori used to work for Dinosaur Valley Studios and she came out with her husband Al.  Al used to live in Edmonton and went to school with my wife Margarit.  I also visited with Diana and Bouke... neighbors from East Coulee.  There were a bunch of other locals there as well and we enjoyed the evening.  We ended up staying well after closing and visiting with owner Paula and her kids, daughter Marae and son Jhett, as well as Jhett's fiancee Becca.