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Why Did St Paul Build a UFO Landing Pad?

St Paul's landing pad began as a centennial monument to peace, hospitality and Space Age optimism, not as proof of an alien visit.

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On this page

  • Centennial fever and the original proposal
  • Paul Hellyer's ceremonial role at the opening
  • How the design expressed peace and welcome
Preview for Why Did St Paul Build a UFO Landing Pad?

Introduction

St Paul did not build the world’s first official UFO landing pad because officials believed aliens had already visited Alberta. Instead, the project was conceived in 1967 as an imaginative Canadian Centennial monument that combined civic pride, tourism, Space Age optimism and a message of international peace. The landing pad opened on 3 June 1967 during Canada’s centennial celebrations, with Canada’s Minister of National Defence, Paul Hellyer, presiding over the ceremony. Its symbolism was forward-looking rather than evidential: if humanity ever encountered visitors from elsewhere, St Paul wanted to greet them peacefully. That distinction is central to understanding both the monument itself and its lasting place in Alberta’s UFO folklore.[Guinness World Records]guinnessworldrecords.comGuinness World Records First official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsFirst official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsJune 3, 1967…Published: June 3, 1967

1967 Origins illustration 1

Centennial fever inspired an unusual civic project

The idea emerged during the wave of local projects that marked Canada’s 100th anniversary of Confederation in 1967. Across the country, communities competed to create memorable centennial monuments, parks and public buildings that would leave a lasting legacy. Rather than erecting another conventional memorial, St Paul chose a futuristic landmark that reflected the era’s fascination with space exploration.

The timing mattered. The mid-1960s were dominated by the Space Race, with crewed missions capturing worldwide attention and the Moon landing still just two years away. Flying saucers were also firmly embedded in popular culture through newspapers, magazines and science fiction. Against that backdrop, a UFO landing pad felt playful, modern and optimistic rather than bizarre.

Local accounts credit Mayor Jules Van Brabant and several local business figures with championing the proposal. Construction materials were donated by local companies, illustrating that the project was intended as a community-built centennial landmark rather than a federal initiative or scientific installation. It was one of more than one hundred centennial projects undertaken by the town, but it quickly became the one that attracted national attention.[Wikipedia]WikipediaSt. Paul, AlbertaSt. Paul, Alberta

Why choose a UFO landing pad?

The choice was deliberate because it served several purposes at once.

  • It created a distinctive identity. Many Canadian towns built centennial monuments, but almost none created something so memorable. The unusual concept ensured St Paul would stand out.
  • It reflected Space Age optimism. Rather than looking backwards, the monument celebrated humanity’s imagined future in space.
  • It encouraged tourism. Even in 1967, civic leaders recognised that an unusual roadside attraction could draw visitors from across Canada and beyond.
  • It expressed hospitality. The monument extended the traditional idea of welcoming travellers to an almost humorous extreme by imagining visitors arriving from other worlds.[St. Paul]stpaul.caSt. Paul The Landing Pad: Town of St. PaulSt. Paul The Landing Pad: Town of St. Paul

Importantly, contemporary evidence does not show that the project was prompted by a famous UFO sighting in St Paul or by official concern about extraterrestrial visitors. The town’s later association with UFO culture grew from the monument itself rather than from an earlier unexplained incident.

UFO landing Pad in St. Paul, Alberta

Channel: The Keep Times Edmonton

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Paul Hellyer’s role at the opening

The official opening on 3 June 1967 gained additional attention because it was conducted by Paul Hellyer, then serving as Canada’s Minister of National Defence. His attendance gave the ceremony national prominence and reinforced the significance of the town’s centennial celebrations. Guinness World Records recognises the site as the world’s first official UFO landing pad and notes Hellyer’s role in inaugurating it.[Guinness World Records]guinnessworldrecords.comGuinness World Records First official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsFirst official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsJune 3, 1967…Published: June 3, 1967

Hellyer’s presence has sometimes been misunderstood because, decades later, after leaving government, he became well known for publicly expressing personal beliefs about extraterrestrial life and UFOs. Those later statements should not be read back into the events of 1967.

At the time of the opening:

  • Hellyer was acting in his official capacity as a cabinet minister.
  • The ceremony formed part of Canada’s centennial programme.
  • The landing pad was presented as a civic monument promoting peace and welcome, not as recognition of genuine alien contact.[Guinness World Records]guinnessworldrecords.comGuinness World Records First official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsFirst official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsJune 3, 1967…Published: June 3, 1967

Separating Hellyer’s later personal views from his 1967 ceremonial role helps avoid a common misconception in later retellings of the story.

1967 Origins illustration 2

How the design expressed peace rather than belief

The monument’s symbolism makes its original purpose clear.

The raised concrete platform incorporates a relief map of Canada and was accompanied by a declaration that the ground beneath the landing pad had been designated “international” territory by the Town of St Paul. The accompanying inscription explains that this designation symbolised faith that humanity would keep outer space free from war and national conflict, and that all visitors—”from earth or otherwise”—would be welcome.[Guinness World Records]guinnessworldrecords.comGuinness World Records First official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsFirst official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsJune 3, 1967…Published: June 3, 1967

This wording reveals that the monument was less about UFOs than about ideals associated with the Space Age:

  • peaceful international cooperation;
  • safe exploration beyond Earth;
  • openness to future discoveries;
  • hospitality extended without regard to nationality—or, imaginatively, even planetary origin.

In other words, the UFO imagery functioned as a memorable vehicle for expressing values that were widely celebrated during Canada’s centennial year.

1967-06-03: St. Paul Erects UFO Landing Pad

Channel: Tom Owens UAP

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Why the monument still matters in Alberta’s UFO history

Within Alberta’s UFO history, the landing pad occupies an unusual position because it is famous without being tied to a famous sighting.

Many locations become associated with UFOs after reports of unexplained aerial phenomena. St Paul became associated with UFOs because it deliberately adopted the theme as part of its civic identity. That makes it a cultural landmark rather than an evidential one.

The distinction is important for readers interested in Alberta’s UFO history. The landing pad demonstrates how public fascination with flying saucers during the 1960s influenced local identity and tourism, even where there was no corresponding landmark UFO case. Later attractions, museum displays and visitor facilities expanded on that identity, but the original 1967 project remained rooted in optimism, peace and centennial celebration rather than claims of extraterrestrial visitation.[St. Paul]stpaul.caSt. Paul The Landing Pad: Town of St. PaulSt. Paul The Landing Pad: Town of St. Paul

A Brief History of the UFO Landing Pad in Saint Paul, Alberta

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The lasting significance of the 1967 decision

St Paul’s decision proved remarkably durable. While many centennial projects gradually blended into everyday civic life, the UFO landing pad remained distinctive enough to become the town’s best-known landmark and one of Alberta’s most recognisable roadside attractions.

Its enduring appeal comes from the combination of humour and sincerity. The monument invites visitors to smile at the idea of welcoming alien spacecraft, yet its original message is unmistakably human: that exploration should be peaceful, strangers should be welcomed and the future should be approached with optimism. Those ideals explain why St Paul built the UFO landing pad in 1967 far better than any suggestion that the town was responding to evidence of alien visitors.[St. Paul]stpaul.caSt. Paul The Landing Pad: Town of St. PaulSt. Paul The Landing Pad: Town of St. Paul

1967 Origins illustration 3

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Endnotes

1. Source: Wikipedia
Title: St. Paul, Alberta
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Paul%2C_Alberta

2. Source: Wikipedia
Title: Paul Hellyer
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Hellyer

3. Source: youtube.com
Title: UFO landing Pad in St. Paul, Alberta
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRtp7xBjUVg

Source snippet

St Paul Alberta UFO landing pad Exploring Saint Paul, Alberta and the World Famous UFO Landing Pad Strange North...

4. Source: guinnessworldrecords.com
Title: Guinness World Records First official UFO landing pad | Guinness World Records
Link:https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-official-ufo-landing-pad

Source snippet

Guinness World RecordsFirst official UFO landing pad | Guinness World RecordsJune 3, 1967...

Published: June 3, 1967

5. Source: stpaul.ca
Title: St. Paul The Landing Pad: Town of St. Paul
Link:https://www.stpaul.ca/visitors/ufo-landing-pad

6. Source: stpaul.gov
Title: Focus Area: City Center and Riverfront | Saint Paul Minnesota
Link:https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/planning-and-economic-development/opportunity-zones/focus-area-city-center-and

Source snippet

May 19, 2026 — FOCUS AREA: CITY CENTER AND RIVERFRONT Last Edited: May 19, 2026 Image: City Center Riverfront View Image: Locator Map for...

Published: May 19, 2026

7. Source: stpaul.gov
Title: Public art in the city can take
Link:https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/parks/public-art

Source snippet

Public Art | Saint Paul MinnesotaApril 29, 2026 — PUBLIC ART Public art is an important asset to every community in Saint Paul and provid...

Published: April 29, 2026

8. Source: stpaul.gov
Title: United Village (Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Site) | Saint Paul Minnesota
Link:https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/planning-and-economic-development/planning/current-activities/united-village-snelling

Source snippet

April 1, 2026 — UNITED VILLAGE (SNELLING-MIDWAY REDEVELOPMENT SITE) Last Edited: April 1, 2026 ON THIS PAGE * Overview * Timeline * Maste...

Published: April 1, 2026

9. Source: ourcommons.ca
Link:https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/5204645

10. Source: stpaul.ca
Link:https://www.stpaul.ca/visitors/explore/attractions

11. Source: stpaul.ca
Link:https://www.stpaul.ca/Visitors

12. Source: guides.travel.sygic.com
Title: St. Paul (Alberta)
Link:https://guides.travel.sygic.com/production/en/St.Paul%28Alberta%29/

13. Source: stpaulmuseum.org
Link:https://stpaulmuseum.org/

Additional References

14. Source: iflscience.com
Title: canada is home to the worlds first official ufo landing pad 80526
Link:https://www.iflscience.com/canada-is-home-to-the-worlds-first-official-ufo-landing-pad-80526

Source snippet

In 1967, Canada Built The World's First Official UFO Landing Pad | IFLScienceAugust 22, 2025 — CANADA IS HOME TO THE WORLD’S FIRST OFFICI...

Published: August 22, 2025

15. Source: buyoya.com
Title: UF O Landing Pad (St
Link:https://buyoya.com/ufo-landing-pad-st-paul-alberta/

Source snippet

Paul, Alberta) – BuyoyaJune 15, 2026 — 15 June 2026 UFO LANDING PAD (ST. PAUL, ALBERTA) Image: UFO Landing Pad Photo by Al Hunt Located i...

Published: June 15, 2026

16. Source: youtube.com
Title: Exploring Saint Paul, Alberta and the World Famous UFO Landing Pad
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF2J9f9SpVw

Source snippet

World's First UFO Landing Pad in St. Paul Alberta | Do You Believe?...

17. Source: youtube.com
Title: A Brief History of the UFO Landing Pad in Saint Paul, Alberta
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKZfuQ68bdo

Source snippet

1967-06-03: St. Paul Erects UFO Landing Pad...

18. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWTlXeW0Ef8

Source snippet

Exploring Saint Paul, Alberta and the World Famous UFO Landing Pad...

19. Source: si.edu
Link:https://www.si.edu/object/pad-landing-leg-surveyor%3Anasm_A19721105000

20. Source: noufors.com
Link:https://noufors.com/Paul_Hellyer.htm

21. Source: canadacool.com
Link:https://www.canadacool.com/COOLFACTS/ALBERTA/StPaulUFOLandingPad/

22. Source: youtube.com
Title: World’s First UFO Landing Pad in St. Paul Alberta | Do You Believe?
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0CP_vCtYjw

Source snippet

UFO landing Pad in St. Paul, Alberta...

23. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Title: File:Official Opening of UFO Landing Pad, St. Paul, Alberta, 1967 02.jpg
Link:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AOfficial_Opening_of_UFO_Landing_Pad%2C_St._Paul%2C_Alberta%2C_1967_02.jpg