Athabasca, Alberta
| Athabasca Athabasca Landing (1877–1912) | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Town of Athabasca | |
 | |
| Motto: Gateway to the Great New North | |
  Athabasca Location of Athabasca in Alberta | |
| Coordinates: 54°43′11″N 113°17′08″W / 54.71972°N 113.28556°WCoordinates: 54°43′11″N 113°17′08″W / 54.71972°N 113.28556°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Northern Alberta |
| Census division | 13 |
| Municipal district | Athabasca County |
| Founded[1] | 1877 |
| Incorporated[2] | |
| • Village | May 18, 1905 (as Athabasca Landing) |
| • Town | September 19, 1911 |
| • Name change | August 4, 1913 |
| Government[3] | |
| • Mayor | Roger Morrill |
| • Governing body | Athabasca Town Council |
| • CAO | Doug Topinka (interim) |
| • MP | Shannon Stubbs (Conservative - Lakeland) |
| • MLA | Colin Piquette (NDP - Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater) |
| Area (2011)[4] | |
| • Total | 17.48 km2 (6.75 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 533 m (1,750 ft) |
| Population (2011)[4] | |
| • Total | 2,990 |
| • Density | 171.1/km2 (443/sq mi) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| Postal code span | T9S |
| Area code(s) | +1-780 |
| Website | Official website |
Athabasca /ˌæθəˈbæskə/ (2011 population 2,990), originally named Athabasca Landing, is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located 145 km (90 mi) north of Edmonton at the intersection of Highway 2 and Highway 55, on the banks of the Athabasca River. It is the centre of Athabasca County. It was known as Athabasca Landing prior to August 4, 1913.[5]
History
Unlike many other towns in Alberta, Athabasca predates the railway. It was the terminus of the Edmonton to Athabasca Landing trail. Athabasca lies on a southern protrusion of the Athabasca River. During the fur trade era, when rivers were the principal means of transportation, the Athabasca–Edmonton trail connected two different drainage basins. The Athabasca River flows north and is part of the Mackenzie River watershed, which leads to the Arctic Ocean. Edmonton lies across a height-of-land on the North Saskatchewan River in the Nelson River drainage basin, which empties into Hudson Bay. Edmonton was in Rupert's Land but not Athabasca. The trail allowed goods to be portaged back and forth between river systems. Once agricultural settlement occurred, the trail served a similar purpose. Eventually, road and rail links would trace the same path.
The Athabasca Heritage Society put up signs through the downtown as well as along the riverfront that explain and depict the history. It has also published a historical walking tour that is available from the town office, library and visitor information centre.
Demographics
In the 2011 Census, the Town of Athabasca had a population of 2,990 living in 1,175 of its 1,283 total dwellings, a 15.9% change from its 2006 adjusted population of 2,580. With a land area of 17.48 km2 (6.75 sq mi), it had a population density of 171.1/km2 (443.0/sq mi) in 2011.[4]
The population of the Town of Athabasca according to its 2008 municipal census is 2,734.[6]
According to the Canada 2006 Census:[7]
| * Population: | 2,575 (+6.6% from 2001) |
| * Land area: | 16.98 km2 (6.56 sq mi) |
| * Population density: | 151.7 people/km² (392.9/sq mi) |
| * National population rank (Out of 5,008): | Ranked 1,115th |
| * Median age: | 37.7 (males: 35.4, females: 40.2) |
| * Total private dwellings: | 1,117 |
| * Dwellings occupied by permanent residents: | 1,062 |
| * Mean household income: | $58,418 |
Education
The town is home to Athabasca University, a major centre for distance education.
The town has three public schools under the jurisdiction of Aspen View Public School Division No. 78:
- Whispering Hills Primary School (WHPS) – Kindergarten to Grade 3
- Landing Trail Intermediate School (LTIS) – Grades 4 to 7
- Edwin Parr Composite School (EPCS) – Grades 8 to 12
Media
Local news is provided by the Athabasca Advocate, a weekly newspaper.[8] Athabasca's local radio station is 94.1 CKBA-FM, The River.
Climate
Athabasca experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) that borders on a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc). The highest temperature ever recorded in Athabasca was 38.3 °C (101 °F) on July 18, 1941.[9] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −54.4 °C (−66 °F) on January 11, 1911.[10]
| Climate data for Athabasca, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1900–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
16.1 (61) |
20.0 (68) |
31.7 (89.1) |
34.4 (93.9) |
34.5 (94.1) |
38.3 (100.9) |
34.5 (94.1) |
32.2 (90) |
28.9 (84) |
21.1 (70) |
15.0 (59) |
38.3 (100.9) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −8.5 (16.7) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
1.2 (34.2) |
10.2 (50.4) |
16.8 (62.2) |
20.4 (68.7) |
22.7 (72.9) |
21.6 (70.9) |
15.9 (60.6) |
8.7 (47.7) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
−7.2 (19) |
7.9 (46.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −13.4 (7.9) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
3.9 (39) |
10.3 (50.5) |
14.3 (57.7) |
16.6 (61.9) |
15.4 (59.7) |
9.9 (49.8) |
3.5 (38.3) |
−6.3 (20.7) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
2.3 (36.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −18.1 (−0.6) |
−15.7 (3.7) |
−9.7 (14.5) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
3.8 (38.8) |
8.2 (46.8) |
10.5 (50.9) |
9.2 (48.6) |
3.9 (39) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
−16.5 (2.3) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −54.4 (−65.9) |
−53.9 (−65) |
−43.9 (−47) |
−31.7 (−25.1) |
−12.2 (10) |
−7.2 (19) |
−5.0 (23) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−15.0 (5) |
−26.7 (−16.1) |
−45.6 (−50.1) |
−48.9 (−56) |
−54.4 (−65.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 22.5 (0.886) |
14.9 (0.587) |
17.2 (0.677) |
25.7 (1.012) |
49.0 (1.929) |
87.4 (3.441) |
103.7 (4.083) |
58.1 (2.287) |
37.5 (1.476) |
22.1 (0.87) |
20.6 (0.811) |
20.0 (0.787) |
478.7 (18.846) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.6 (0.024) |
0.6 (0.024) |
1.4 (0.055) |
15.5 (0.61) |
46.5 (1.831) |
87.4 (3.441) |
103.7 (4.083) |
58.1 (2.287) |
37.1 (1.461) |
14.1 (0.555) |
1.9 (0.075) |
0.4 (0.016) |
367.3 (14.461) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 21.9 (8.62) |
14.3 (5.63) |
15.9 (6.26) |
10.2 (4.02) |
2.5 (0.98) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.4 (0.16) |
8.0 (3.15) |
18.7 (7.36) |
19.6 (7.72) |
111.4 (43.86) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 8.3 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 9.7 | 14.0 | 15.2 | 12.4 | 10.4 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 8.9 | 112.8 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 4.1 | 9.3 | 14.0 | 15.2 | 12.4 | 10.0 | 5.9 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 74.0 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 8.1 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 6.2 | 8.4 | 39.9 |
| Source: Environment Canada[11][9][10][12][13][14] | |||||||||||||
Infrastructure
Health care
Health care is provided at the Athabasca Healthcare Centre.
Notable people
- Bryan Mudryk – TSN TV personality
- Jay Onrait – TSN TV personality
- George Ryga – playwright, poet
References
- ↑ "Brief History". Town of Athabasca. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
- ↑ "Location and History Profile: Town of Athabaca" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 7, 2016. p. 1. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
- ↑ "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. November 18, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- ↑ "Location and History Profile: Town of Athabasca". Alberta Municipal Affairs. June 14, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
- ↑ Alberta Municipal Affairs (September 15, 2009). "Alberta 2009 Official Population List" (PDF). Retrieved September 14, 2010.
- ↑ Statistics Canada. "Canada 2006 Census: Athabasca – Community Profile". Retrieved June 9, 2007.
- ↑ "About Us: The Athabasca Advocate". Great West Newspapers LP. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
- 1 2 "July 1941". Environment Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- 1 2 "January 1911". Environment Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Climate Normals 1981-2010". Environment Canada. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- ↑ "Athabasca". Environment Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Athabasca Landing". Environment Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- ↑ "June 2002". Environment Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- Alberta First – Athabasca Facts and Statistics
External links
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