Population: 6,500
Situation: Devon has oil money but that won’t last forever.
Action: Paved 30 miles of bike trails to attract road bikers.
Result: Town loves the trails and people come from many miles around to ride.
Devon, Alberta is southwest of Edmonton about 16 miles on the north bank of the saskatchewan river. It owns its origin to one of the largest oil discoveries in the world and was created to function for workers. Luckily, this story doesn’t start with a town staring down destitution but instead an early acknowledgement of its need to diversify in order to continue existing.
Although Devon was created on a wealth of oil and will likely continue to exist on oil, they realize there is a finite supply. They have diversified and created a lovely town for people to exist in which is now pulling in the tourist from the major nearby city of edmonton.
They paved 30 miles of bike trails through their city. City of Devon wanted nice bike trails for road bike. Other cities in the area had already be crowned for mountain biking. They paved the trails right up to local museums. Unlike Canmore or Cuyuna, they wanted them to be perfectly paved. They wanted the “$5,000 casual street bike bikers with BMW’s” to come from local communities and enjoy their trails
The town started growing behind their brand . The restaurants over time added bike racks. To advertising breast cancer awareness, the painted old bikes pink and lined them up and down mainstreet . Devon even trademarked “Spokesperson” for their city officials and tour information guides.
The local youth entered a contest to win their city a bike/bmx type dirt park. The contest was held across canada. Devon, of 6,500 people out competed cities like Toronto and Edmonton.
Devon started marketing campaigns selling themselves as the biking town and pretty soon the tourists started to come. Even their logo and sign all are reminiscent of a trail. They named all the trails and made it easy to understand how to get around with a themed gear. The locals like it so much that they even have bike racing gear themed like their logo.
Today, Devon is a community of bikers. They lived behind their brand, their theme, their creative dity development and has altered the town to support bikers. This creative city development then inspires the community, build loyalty , and attracts outside money. It isn’t uncommon to see a kid ride to the local diner their bike parked out front. It is safe, people are happy, and they have a cool amenity which makes people proud. The kids are growing up in a very ‘free range’ way were the schools are set up to accommodate hundreds of bikes, kids ride from place to place. Because the town is so well branded as a biking place, people aware and looking out for bikers. The brand is literally helping with things down to safety. They have a great creative city development.
That trademark the city official claimed, “Spokesperson”. Well, Raleigh offered to trade them a pela-dome “Biking Race Stadium” for the trademark.
People even move out of the city to Devon because their kids love biking. The town is prospering.
It is a relief that Devon realized it’s need to diversified and didn’t end up like Canmore, Alberta after their mine closed. Devon, Alberta supported a town theme, road biking and lived behind their brand which has caused a boom in tourism and made Devon and amazing place to live!
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