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Steady business for hotel in Wrigley
Restaurant offers take-out food

Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, December 6, 2012

PEHDZEH KI/WRIGLEY
A new facility in Wrigley has been seeing a lot of use since opening three months ago.

NNSL photo/graphic

Open since September, Pehdzeh Ki Camps and Catering Services is a hotel and restaurant facility in Wrigley. - photo courtesy of Tannis Moses

In early September, Pehdzeh Ki Contractors opened Pehdzeh Ki Camps and Catering Services. The hotel and restaurant is located inside of five joined trailers on the edge of the community.

Before the ferry closed for the season most of the 12 rooms were booked, said Tannis Moses, the manager of Pehdzeh Ki Contractors, the economic development arm of Pehdzeh Ki First Nation.

Pehdzeh Ki Contractors saw the need for a hotel facility in the community, said David Moses the president of the organization's board.

Visitors from out of town were looking for places to stay and groups wanted to host meetings in the community, but there were no accommodation facilities, David said. Wrigley used to have a hotel but it has been closed for a number of years and the building has been condemned.

It cost approximately $200,000 to establish the hotel including purchasing the trailers, preparing a site and joining the trailers. Because Pehdzeh Ki Contractors is part of the band, the hotel is really owned by the band members, said David.

The facility has already received some positive reviews. Staff with Ledcor stayed in the hotel in October.

"They called it a five-star hotel," he said.

David has also sampled some of the food offered at the hotel.

"They serve some pretty good meals there," he said.

Rose Moses, a band member, is the hotel's cook. She graduated from the culinary arts program at The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).

In addition to cooking for guests, Rose offers take-out food from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday and the during the weekend. This is the first time Wrigley has had a restaurant in a number of years, said Tannis.

"It's really good food," she said.

Each room in the hotel contains two beds and a TV. In the new year the hotel will be equipped with satellite TV. Wi-Fi internet is also available throughout the building.

"Everything is practically new in the trailers," Tannis said.

Rooms can be booked through the band office or by phoning the hotel.

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