The Fernie Fox Hotel: from New Build to Rebrand, a brief look back at the history of the hotel property.
To know where you are going, it is sometimes worthwhile looking at where you have been. With the launch of our rebrand, the former owner of this favourite Fernie accommodation reached out to share some photos and history of the property as the hotel was first being built.
Construction on the building that is now The Fernie Fox Hotel began in early 1995. But planning for the project started much earlier, as one of the key factors in developing the site was a realignment of Highway 3. The site was previously the location of the Fernie Brick factory which produced the yellow bricks you see in many of the historical buildings around town, and then it was converted to a local farm that became run down. This is when the previous owner’s purchased it and made the decision to build a hotel. Shortly after construction began, the flood of ‘95 caused further delays, as equipment and workers were helping mitigate flood damage. The original opening date was scheduled for Dec 1, 1995, but construction was not completed until the end of Jan 1996. The hotel officially opened Friday, February 1, 1996, and welcomed their very first bus group that same night!
The Pauw family bought the business and began running the hotel April 1, 2008. Yes, it was exactly 12 years ago from their purchase to the rebrand. Over the last couple of years, the hotel has undergone almost a complete renovation. The rooms and furnishings are all being modernized and outfitted with energy-efficient appliances at every opportunity. With the rebrand, the hotel has sourced all new bed linens to ensure your stay in Fernie is as comfortable as possible.
As a corporate citizen of Fernie and the Elk Valley, the Fernie Fox Hotel feels strongly in about ensuring the business is sustainable and responsible to the community. It is constantly striving to improve the facility’s environmental sustainability and social responsibilities.
The Pauw’s would like to thank all of their past guests for helping build the reputation of their business and look forward to inviting everyone to come to stay and see what’s new.