Probably not.
But once upon a time, the municipality was primed and ready. During the Cold War, when military tension was high between the Soviet Union and the United States, nuclear threats were a huge worry for Canadians.
The fear of nuclear war prompted both sides to construct underground bunkers to ensure the survival of important figures during an attack. Government officials and armed forces had dedicated bunkers.
Like good Alberta entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on this opportunity, three brothers set out to create the Kananaskis Vault. Stan, Joe, and Ted Rokosh worked for their private company, Rocky Mountain Vault and Archives (RMVA).
In 1969, the bother’s company obtained two leases from the Alberta government, giving them access to Mount McGillivray. They also got permission to operate the vault once construction was finished.
The three brothers got to work on the Kananaskis Vault without skipping a beat. This vault was intended to turn the mountain into “one of the world’s biggest and most secure filing cabinets.”
In other words, RMVA wanted to create an underground vault to store important documents for the government, banks, and other institutions.
In addition to a nuclear attack, RMVA claimed the proposed vault would protect its contents from floods, wind, insects, rodents, mildew, cave-ins, theft, and fire.
Not Your Average Vault
The Kananaskis Vault was to include five separate vaults with a height of ten feet, with some rooms varying from eight feet by 16 feet to 20 feet by 30 feet. In total, the Kananaskis Vault was to have a total storage capacity of 6,000 cubic feet.
Each vault was protected by eight feet of natural rock, further secured by steel doors. The brothers were also in the process of installing shelving, furnishing, and file drawers.
Hundreds of feet of stone surrounded the Kananaskis Vault, and the only way in was through a 200-foot tunnel measuring eight feet wide and nine feet high.
An intruder would have to pass the vault’s 24-hour guard, multiple alarm-protected areas, and a reinforced alarm-controlled concrete door.
The Vault’s Achilles Heel
But what the vault couldn’t protect itself from was bankruptcy. The brothers took a massive gamble, investing $250,000 into the project.
“We sounded out the market thoroughly before we even lifted a shovel…It was pretty promising,” Stan Rokosh told the Windsor Star.
The vault’s success hinged on institutions being on board with the idea. Spoiler: They weren’t. At one point, the RMVA was in talks with the Royal Bank of Canada to house the bank’s records.
Ultimately, the bank chose to store its documents at a building in Montreal instead. This was the final nail in the coffin for the Kananaskis Vault, which never came close to reaching completion.
The Vault’s Second Life
Today, the Kananaskis Vault is nothing more than a shallow cave. However, the vault still serves a purpose today as a fascinating hiking destination.
The bunker can be accessed via the Heart Creek Bunker Trail, which offers beautiful sights, including lush forests and vast meadows.
Completing the trail will take around one hour and 30 minutes to two hours, providing a moderate challenge for both basic and experienced hikers.
