We pack a lot into the pages of every issue of Kayak, but there’s always more great stuff we just can’t fit in. So join Teeka and Beau, our otter mascots, to find out more about the theme of each issue, or just pick up some random bits of Canadian history.

The Story of Banff

Our national park system is one of the most amazing in the world. Every year, people from all over flock to see our beautiful parks and interesting historic sites.

One great example is Banff National Park. Its soaring mountains, wildlife, waterfalls, hot springs and more have made its beauty world-famous. But within the park, there are several historic sites, including the place where it all started: Cave and Basin National Historic Site of Canada.

That’s where three railway workers accidentally discovered a hot spring in an underground cave in 1883. William and Tom McCardell and their friend Frank McCabe thought they’d become rich when people came to soak in the hot spring. After years of fighting over who owned what, the federal government took over the site and declared it Canada’s first national park.

The nearby Banff Park Museum is a beautiful log building that highlights the way animals and plants were exhibited in the early 1900s, and the way our thinking about nature has changed (see photo above; © Parks Canada).