It’s hard to think of Fort McMurray without remembering the ravaging fires that nearly took out the entire city almost two and a half years ago. Since then, few of us need any introduction to Fort McMurray. This oil-sands city sustained Canada’s most devastating natural disaster to date, with 2,400 homes destroyed by wildfire. Residences are still being rebuilt, and the community continues to show inspiring resilience and dedication as they carve out their next iteration of life in Fort Mac.
We’ve highlighted three characteristics that reflect the spirit of the city and paired them with garage doors that are as strong as the people who call Fort McMurray home.
The Winter Warrior
Fort McMurray is our northernmost Creative Door location, which means they face a winter chill other Canadians may not even be able to endure. Homes here benefit from garage doors that are both durable and well-insulated enough to withstand this chilly climate.
One series that’s tough on winter weathering is our line of Classic Steel Doors (Models 8300 to 8500) by Wayne Dalton. Premium liquid polyurethane insulation offers complete coverage of the door for a high R-value of 12.12 on Model 8300 and 16.22 on Model 8500. You can also choose from 6,000 durable and high-quality paint colours with the Wayne Dalton TruChoice Colour System to give your home a customized look.
The Stronghold
Though the immediate threat of fire is gone, Fort McMurray remains one of the truest examples of a Prairie Gothic existence. With potentially dangerous forces coming at them from all sides, there it sits stoically amidst haunting boreal forests, a lake of biblical proportions, and giant 60-metre-high active sand dunes headed right toward them.
Garage doors that put up solid reinforcement are the Richards-Wilcox Classic Landmark Series. Continuous polyurethane insulation offers a sturdy R-value of 12.2, and the 3-inch arctic-grade bottom seal keeps the elements out. Plus, heavy weight-bearing commercial-grade hinges and pinch-resistant panels that protect little fingers make these doors a safe choice for families.
The Natural Beauty
On the other side of that coin, Fort McMurray is equally a magical place. Those forests are living, breathing evidence of renewal. The Athabasca Sand Dunes Ecological Reserve is the only place in Alberta where you’ll find nesting Arctic Terns. And it’s one of the best spots in the hemisphere to view the aurora borealis with their glow being so bright in October, it’s almost supernatural.
A garage door that reflects the innate beauty of Fort McMurray’s woodlands is Martin Door’s Chalet. This gorgeous wood composite door features the rich look of natural wood. However, unlike real wood, the Chalet model stands up to the elements formidably since it’s actually made with 24-guage steel and double insulation for a high R-value of 18.
Visit our Fort McMurray location today to find out more about the best garage doors for this resilient city. We also have seven more locations to serve you across Western Canada, including Vancouver, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg.