Spirit River, Alberta
Spirit River | |
---|---|
Town | |
Town of Spirit River | |
Spirit River Location in the M.D. of Spirit River | |
Coordinates: 55°46′46″N 118°50′11″W / 55.77944°N 118.83639°WCoordinates: 55°46′46″N 118°50′11″W / 55.77944°N 118.83639°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Alberta |
Region | Northern Alberta |
Planning region | Upper Peace |
Municipal district | Municipal District of Spirit River No. 133 |
Incorporated[1] | |
• Village | June 13, 1916 |
• Town | September 18, 1951 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Tammy Yaremko |
• Governing body | Spirit River Town Council |
Area (2016)[3] | |
• Land | 3.14 km2 (1.21 sq mi) |
Elevation | 640 m (2,100 ft) |
Population (2016)[3] | |
• Total | 995 |
• Density | 317.3/km2 (822/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
Area code(s) | 1-780 |
Highways | Highway 49 Highway 731 |
Waterways | Spirit River Dunvegan Creek |
Website | Official website |
Spirit River is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is approximately 78 km (48 mi) north of Grande Prairie at the junction of Highway 49 and Highway 731.
Demographics[]
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1921 | 210 | — |
1926 | 167 | −20.5% |
1931 | 232 | +38.9% |
1936 | 234 | +0.9% |
1941 | 276 | +17.9% |
1946 | 362 | +31.2% |
1951 | 553 | +52.8% |
1956 | 743 | +34.4% |
1961 | 890 | +19.8% |
1966 | 1,034 | +16.2% |
1971 | 1,121 | +8.4% |
1976 | 1,020 | −9.0% |
1981 | 1,104 | +8.2% |
1986 | 1,086 | −1.6% |
1991 | 1,016 | −6.4% |
1996 | 1,112 | +9.4% |
2001 | 1,100 | −1.1% |
2006 | 1,148 | +4.4% |
2011 | 1,025 | −10.7% |
2016 | 995 | −2.9% |
Source: Statistics Canada [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][3] |
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Spirit River recorded a population of 995 living in 442 of its 487 total private dwellings, a -2.9% change from its 2011 population of 1,025. With a land area of 3.14 km2 (1.21 sq mi), it had a population density of 316.9/km2 (820.7/sq mi) in 2016.[3]
In the 2011 Census, the Town of Spirit River had a population of 1,025 living in 425 of its 471 total dwellings, a −10.7% change from its 2006 population of 1,148. With a land area of 2.81 km2 (1.08 sq mi), it had a population density of 364.8/km2 (944.7/sq mi) in 2011.[13]
Economy[]
The community is largely agricultural, being located in the fertile Peace Country. It also features an active oil and gas industry.
History[]
The name Spirit River comes from the Cree Chepe Sepe, or Ghost River.[14]
In 1891, a trading post became the original settlement along the banks of the Spirit River. Ranching in the area started as early as the 1840s and farming in the 1880s.[14] The first school opened in 1910.[15] In 1915, to the northwest, on Section 22, the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway subdivided a townsite called Spirit River Station. The residents and storekeepers at the old settlement then moved, creating a village in 1916.[16] On February 16 of that year, the Herald Tribune reported that McRae & Co. opened a general store.[16] Spirit River was incorporated as a town in 1951.[17]
In 1923, the wheat pool was established.[14]
In October 2013, a pipeline inspection crew working in the Saddle Hills area southwest of Spirit River unearthed a 10-metre long dinosaur fossil.[18] It was later confirmed to be that of the duck-billed hadrosaur.[19]
The Town of Spirit River, along with the Municipal District of Spirit River celebrated its 100th anniversary in August 2016.[20]
Government[]
The Municipal District of Spirit River No. 133's municipal office is located in Spirit River. It is also home to the Peace-Wapiti School Board and provincial offices for Alberta Agriculture and Fish and Wildlife.
Infrastructure[]
- Transportation
A paved airport accommodates medical emergency flights and private aircraft.
- Recreation
The town features a curling rink, arena, outdoor pool, library, museum and community hall.
- Health care
Spirit River is home to a hospital and the Central Peace Health Centre, a newly constructed clinic that has physician, dentist, physiotherapist and massage therapist offices. A new 92-bed seniors care home is set to open in 2024.[21]
Education[]
The town is home to two schools – Ste. Marie Catholic School[22] (elementary) and Spirit River Regional Academy[23] (K-12).
Notable people[]
- Hilarion Kapral, a bishop and First Hierarch of ROCOR
- Patricia Joudry, screenwriter.
- Tim Howar, singer and dancer, known as a London-based rock vocalist with Mike + the Mechanics
- Aaron Goodvin, country singer
- , who escaped from Leavenworth Prison while serving a life sentence for train robbery, was elected mayor in 1916 using the name James Fahey [24]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Location and History Profile: Town of Spirit River" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 7, 2016. p. 576. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
- ^ "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. May 9, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
- ^ "Alberta Private Sewage Systems 2009 Standard of Practice Handbook: Appendix A.3 Alberta Design Data (A.3.A. Alberta Climate Design Data by Town)" (PDF) (PDF). Safety Codes Council. January 2012. pp. 212–215 (PDF pages 226–229). Retrieved October 9, 2013.
- ^ "Table 5: Population of urban centres, 1916-1946, with guide to locations". Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1946. Volume I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1949. pp. 397–400.
|volume=
has extra text (help) - ^ "Table 6: Population by sex, for census subdivisions, 1956 and 1951". Census of Canada, 1956. Volume I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1958.
|volume=
has extra text (help) - ^ "Table 9: Population by census subdivisions, 1966 by sex, and 1961". 1966 Census of Canada. Western Provinces. Population: Divisions and Subdivisions. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1967.
- ^ "Table 3: Population for census divisions and subdivisions, 1971 and 1976". 1976 Census of Canada. Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Population: Geographic Distributions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1977.
- ^ "Table 2: Census Subdivisions in Alphabetical Order, Showing Population Rank, Canada, 1981". 1981 Census of Canada. Census subdivisions in decreasing population order. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1982. ISBN 0-660-51563-6.
- ^ "Table 2: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 and 1991 – 100% Data". 91 Census. Population and Dwelling Counts – Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1992. pp. 100–108. ISBN 0-660-57115-3.
- ^ "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Divisions, 2001 and 1996 Censuses – 100% Data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. January 6, 2010. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
- ^ a b c "History – Municipal District of Spirit River".
- ^ Spirit River History Book Committee (1989). Chepi sepe : Spirit River : the land, the people. p. 16. ISBN 0-88925-781-7.
- ^ a b http://www.ourroots.ca/e/page.aspx?id=3712677
- ^ "About".
- ^ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/massive-dinosaur-fossil-unearthed-by-alberta-pipeline-crew-1.1876996[bare URL]
- ^ http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/media/2013_Recent_Discoveries.pdf
- ^ http://townofspiritriver.ca/index.php/events/icalrepeat.detail/2016/08/05/18/-/spirit-river-centennial
- ^ https://everythinggp.com/2020/03/12/spirit-river-to-get-lions-share-of-senior-housing-and-care-facility-investment/
- ^ http://stemarie.gpcsd.ca/
- ^ http://www.pwsd76.ab.ca/schools/srra/Pages/default.aspx
- ^ https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/the-five-decade-fugitive-chase
External links[]
- 1916 establishments in Alberta
- Hudson's Bay Company trading posts
- Municipal District of Spirit River No. 133
- Towns in Alberta