Forge is on the map – but in wrong place

Submitted by Fernie Free Press on Sun, July 26, 2009

If you see a tourist wandering round West Fernie looking for Fernie Forge, point them in the direction of Hosmer and tell them to blame the internet.
Fernie Forge, located in Hosmer, is one of the cultural venues taking part in Columbia Basin Trust’s Culture Tour on August 15.
They, along with dozens other arts and culture venues in the Kootenays, will be offering free tours of their studio and shop where visitors can see blacksmiths Sandra and David Barrett at work.
However they are hoping visitors from outside the area can find the way to their force in Hosmer, after a computer mixed up their address and marked them in West Fernie on the official Columbia Basin Trust brochure map
Sandra said: “It isn’t the CBT’s fault – they typed our address 2087 Highway 3 into Google maps and the computer told them we were 14km away from Hosmer in West Fernie.
“There are houses with the 2000 address in that area as well as in Hosmer so it must have been confused.
“The directions are correct in the brochure and a lot of people in this area know where we are anyway, so we hope that people will still find us.
“We would be interested to know why it is that the addresses are numbered in that way – we often have parcels getting lost so perhaps this is why.”
Those visitors who do make it to the right place can look forward to seeing iron sculptures and architectural metalwork produced by the Barrett family.
Fernie Forge’s correct location is: 2087 Highway 3 – drive east from Fernie on Highway 3. The forge is on the left before Hosmer Bridge. Look for a barn with a blue roof or call 250-423-2671 for help with directions.