Wally Huebert decided it would be fun to have dinosaurs on their 10-acre property located at the south end of Canora, since “everyone loves dinosaurs.”

            Huebert, his wife Mary, and their autistic son Jordan searched far and wide, and finally found a set of fibreglass dinosaurs in New York City, which they brought home to their Canora yard, starting in February. At last count they had a total of six of these large reptiles “roaming their yard,” said Mary.

            By far the tallest is the brontosaurus, which towers over the rest of the dinosaurs at a height of about 15 feet.

            The stegosaurus might be the flashiest member of the group with its distinctive red fins.

            The Tyrannosaurus Rex, or T. Rex for short, is one of the meanest looking dinosaurs, except that this one requires the aid of a neck support.

            The Huebert family enjoyed the full-grown triceratops so much that they decided to include a baby in the collection.        

            The postosuchus is not as well known as the others but it definitely has the look of a dinosaur, said Mary.

            They have about half-a-dozen other dinosaurs which will be added to the collection in the future. The Huebert family is working on a 30-foot by 65-foot Coverall shelter which will shield the dinosaurs from the elements, but still allow viewing by visitors.

            Along with the dinosaurs, Mary said they plan to include artificial vegetation similar to that which was found in dinosaur habitats when they roamed the earth. But since silk plants and trees can get quite expensive when purchased new, she said they would really appreciate it if other Canora residents would keep an eye out for cheaper versions.

            “If people find silk plants or vines or something, maybe at a garage sale, it would be great if they could buy them for us,” said Mary. “We would certainly be willing to cover the cost of whatever they paid.”

Family enjoys dinosaurs and trains, sharing them with visitors

Jordan Huebert has been a big fan of trains just about ever since he could walk, and it didn’t take very long for his parents to catch his passion and also become train enthusiasts, said Mary. About five years ago they found a Canadian Pacific Caboose that was available near Edmonton. With the help of Royal Building Movers of Canora, they managed to get it to their yard.

            The Huebert family is always on the lookout for new projects, and Mary said they decided their 10-acre yard needed a functioning train. After searching for years across much of the U.S. and Canada, they finally found a train in Coldstream, B.C. that was just what they were looking for.

            She said they refer to it as a park train, since it’s about one-third the size of a full-sized train. It’s modelled after the 4-4-0 trains, where the numbers refer to four front end wheels on two axles, four drive wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels.

            In addition to the 80-foot long train, they also purchased signals and track, and had everything trucked to Canora.

            Mary said Wally spent about three months, mostly on his knees, laying down about 2,700 feet of track around the perimeter of their yard. That included putting in railroad ties every 24 inches, which works out to over 1,300 ties in total.

            Some might think that they put a ridiculous amount of work into these yard projects, but Mary said to them it’s all worthwhile. She figures it might be because she and her husband are both kids at heart.

            “People smile when they come and see what we have here,” she said. “They think it’s really neat and fun and positive. It’s nice riding the train, being out in the breeze and enjoying the scenery. It’s relaxing.”

            The train is powered by a diesel Kubota engine and can carry up to 40 people. The caboose has wheelchair access from their recently built loading deck.

            Wally plans to add another 1,000 or so feet of track which will cut across the yard, creating an appealing option for train travelers.

            Mary said they really appreciate how community members have become involved in their train projects, donating a variety of items including a conductor’s coat and cap.

            There is no charge for the train rides or viewing the dinosaurs. But since Wally and Mary both work, they aren’t always available to spend time with visitors. They ask that guests phone ahead to set up a time that is convenient for everyone. Mary may be contacted at 306-563-7252.