Dog River lives again thanks to interactive tour
Fans of Corner Gas can take self-guided walks of Rouleau streets where show shot
We’ve been trying to do something like this for long time. It was a great idea and we’re glad that Corner Gas participated
Corner Gas fan Blaine MacDonald and his daughter Britt were on their way to Moose Jaw when they decided to stop make a pit stop in “Dog River” to experience the famous town.
“We bought the whole series of the Corner Gas DVDs and so we sit at home and watch all the episodes over and over again. We really like the show,” said MacDonald.
They had no idea they would end up being some of the first fans to experience a new self-guided interactive tour launched Wednesday.
Located in the town of Rouleau where the TV show was shot, the tour takes participants to 14 iconic Corner Gas locations including the Dog River Hotel, Emma and Oscar’s house and more. At each site is a bronze plaque with a QR code that when scanned on a smartphone gives fans behind the scenes details, a history of the building, how it plays into the show, video clips and sneak peeks of what the town will look like in the upcoming animated series. The tour was a gift to the town from the producers of Corner Gas.
“We wanted to do something that was really sustainable for this town, that could tell the Corner Gas story,” said Virginia Thompson, executive producer for the Corner Gas franchise. She said after the gas station set was torn down due to safety concerns, it’s nice to have something for fans to be able to experience, but won’t cost the town a lot of money to maintain.
Rouleau Mayor Grant Clark acknowledged the disappointment caused when the set was torn down, but said it needed to be done. Now fans can see photos of the old set and images of what it will look like in the new series — keeping the iconic Corner Gas look alive.
Actor Cavan Cunningham, who played Mayor ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald in the series, said he never imagined 14 years ago when the series began, that it would evolve as it has. His favourite part of the tour is the fire station stop, where a scene of his character catching fire plays.
“Before that, my biggest stunt on the show was eating 50-60 mallows in one sitting,” said Cunningham. He will be voicing Mayor Fitzy in the new animated series scheduled for release in 2018.
Clark is optimistic the tour will draw even more people.
“It’s fun and it’s kind of exciting as well. We’ve been trying to do something like this for long time and it was a great idea and we’re glad that Corner Gas participated in it and helped make it real,” said Clark.
Love for the town of Rouleau and its residents was a theme during Wednesday’s launch. Thompson expressed thanks to the residents for their hospitality and touted Rouleau as a beautiful representation of small-town Saskatchewan.