Camrose, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Camrose is a city in central Alberta
, Canada
, amid some of the richest farmland in the prairie
s. It is a relatively small city which originally grew up along a railroad and now grows along Highway 13. Camrose is a scenic community with many parks, leading to its moniker "The Rose City". Camrose offers a relaxed lifestyle with a large population of retirees
.
and boreal forest, known as aspen parkland
. It is a major centre to the small farming communities in the surrounding area. The Stoney Creek runs through the city and flows into the Battle River
south of the city.
The population of the City of Camrose according to its 2011 municipal census is 17,236, a 4.2% increase over its 2008 municipal census population of 16,543.
According to the Canada 2006 Census
The five major ancestries are Scandinavian (26.3%), German (25.6%), English (20.2%), Scottish (17.6%), Irish (14.4%).
About 3.5% of residents identified as aboriginal.
English
is the first language
of 90% of the population. About 2.1% of residents said German
, 1.1% said Ukrainian
, 1.0% said French
, and 0.7% said Spanish
was their first language. The next most common languages were Chinese
and Dutch
at 0.6% each, followed by Danish
and Norwegian
at 0.4% each, Swedish
at 0.3%, and Lao
at 0.2%.
The 2001 census found 85% of residents identified as Christian
, while 14% had no religious affiliation. For specific denominations Statistics Canada
found that 24% of residents identified as Roman Catholic, while 20% identified as Lutheran, and 19% identified with the United Church of Canada
. Among the less numerous denominations, 4% identified as Anglican
, and about 2% each identified as Baptist
and Pentecostal.
n countries, such as Norway
and Sweden
, and many settlers also came from the United States
. At that time the settlement was known as the hamlet of Stoney Creek. In 1904, Stoney Creek began receiving mail service, its first businesses began to open, and its first RCMP
officer (Constable "Blue" Smith) arrived.
On May 4, 1905, the settlement was incorporated as the Village of Sparling, named for Reverend Dr. Sparling. However, because the name was often confused with Sperling and Stirling, in 1906 the Village Council renamed the settlement to Camrose. There is no factual evidence about the reason for the choice of the name Camrose, but it is generally thought that it was named after the Village of Camrose
in Pembrokeshire
, South Wales. In December 1906, Camrose was incorporated as a town.
In 1906, Camrose opened its first newspaper, The Camrose Mail, which was replaced in 1908 by the Camrose Canadian, which is still published to this day. In March 1907 the town erected a building for town administration, which also held its first police and fire station. In October 1907 men from Alberta Government Telephones
set up Camrose's first telephone exchange, and by 1908 about fifty residents had telephone access. 1911 saw the construction of Camrose's first power plant.
From 1905 to 1914, there was a great deal of railway construction in the Camrose area. Camrose became a bit of a railroad hub, sitting on railways that connected to Edmonton and Calgary, as well as many of the smaller towns in central Alberta
, such as Vegreville
, Stettler
, Drumheller
, and Wetaskiwin. By 1914, twelve passenger trains came through Camrose daily. In those days the growth of Camrose was strongly linked with the railroad.
On June 26, 1912, the first building of the Camrose Lutheran College
(known as Augustana University College from 1991 to 2004) was opened. Today the campus continues as the Augustana Faculty
of the University of Alberta
.
During World War II
, the Camrose Fairgrounds converted to an army training grounds. About ten H-Shaped huts were built, as well as mess quarters, medical building and a storehouse. Thousands of Canadian boys came to Camrose to receive their basic training.
Camrose became a city on January 1, 1955. By 1958, Camrose had converted the old post office into the new City Hall. In 1954, however, Camrose had sold the old town hall to the federal government, so in the interim the city council met for almost three years in the hall of the local Methodist Church.
Camrose has continued to expand, even as the significance of the railroads waned. It is now stretching out along Highway 13, and is becoming a major stop for travellers along that road. With the advent of the Big Valley Jamboree
in Camrose it has become even more oriented towards tourism and hospitality.
Camrose was host to a popular Alberta Music Camp for upwards of 40 years, named MusiCamrose, until it later changed to MusiCamp Alberta, now hosted in Red Deer, Alberta
. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in the summer of 2007. It was founded by Peterkin.
Camrose is home to the popular Christmas treat, the Christmas sausage, which can be bought in the winter season. Fred Duggan and his butcher invented these. (The Duggan family is one of the four founding families of Camrose.)
On Wednesday, October 26, 2005, a single lottery ticket worth $54,000,000 (the largest in Canadian history) was sold in Camrose. The ticket belonged to seventeen oil industry workers.
In August 2006, Camrose held a Founders Day when four men were inducted as founding fathers of Camrose.
(formerly known as Augustana University College
). Established in 1910 by Norwegian settlers, under the name Camrose Lutheran College, Augustana is still inspired by convictions that are part of its pioneer legacy: that personal wholeness emerges from a liberal education, that the proper end of leadership is service to others, and that the spirit of cooperation so crucial to rural life invigorates human endeavour. As a Faculty of the University of Alberta, Augustana continues to build on its reputation for high-quality teaching in a friendly, caring, residence-based setting. In doing so, it provides a distinctive small-campus undergraduate experience within one of Canada's leading universities. Augustana remains mindful of its heritage, open to a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds, and responsive to the rural region in which it is located.
In 2006, the university celebrated its first fourth generation graduate.
Camrose also hosts the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute and Gardner College (previously known as Gardner Bible College and Alberta Bible Institute).
Developed to withstand the drastic Alberta climate, the Camrose Rose was introduced to the city in 1995. It may be seen on display at the Bill Fowler Centre.
and the Augustana Vikings (ACAC)), and the 300+ seat Border Paving arena. The Edgeworth Centre also boasts a three lane fitness track, fitness centre, physiotherapy clinic, physiotherapy lab, children's play room, meeting rooms, offices, and food and beverage facilities. Attached to this multi-million dollar facility is the Max McLean Arena (former home of the Viking Cup
, Augustana Vikings
ACAC
, and Camrose Kodiaks
AJHL), as well as the Camrose Aquatic Centre and curling rink.
Other recreational facilities include the Camrose Community Centre (walking track and indoor soccer centre), spray park, Camrose Skate Park, Kinsmen Park (which includes tennis courts, three fastball fields, football field, beach volleyball courts, a 2.2 km walking path), and Rudy Swanson Park, home to various soccer facilities and recreational groups.
Camrose has a large urban trail system which winds through Stoney Creek Valley. The total trail length is approximately 10.2 km.
Camrose is also home to a wide variety of sports clubs including figure skating, baseball, fastball, hockey and swimming to name a few. The Camrose Ski Club, founded in 1911, is the oldest cross-country ski club in Canada, and has produced many elite level athletes including several Olympians.
, the weekly Camrose Booster and the small daily, Camrose Morning News. There is also a local Christian paper published monthly called "Crosswalk".
Camrose has its own local television station which is primarily used for advertising.
Camrose is also home to two radio stations. The first, and most famous, is AM station 790 CFCW
. Despite having a studio in West Edmonton Mall
, CFCW still has its main broadcast studio in Camrose.
The second station is the much-newer FM station, CAM-FM, at a frequency of 98.1 FM. Both stations are owned by Newcap Broadcasting
.
with several similar communities in Canada and around the world. These relationships are developed in part with a mind toward promoting goodwill, education, and economic and tourist benefits.
Kamifurano, Hokkaido
, Japan
- 1984 Warwick, Queensland
, Australia
- 1974
Saguenay, Quebec
(formerly Chicoutimi) - 1978
Kentville, Nova Scotia
- 1980
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, amid some of the richest farmland in the prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
s. It is a relatively small city which originally grew up along a railroad and now grows along Highway 13. Camrose is a scenic community with many parks, leading to its moniker "The Rose City". Camrose offers a relaxed lifestyle with a large population of retirees
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
.
Geography and location
Camrose is situated about 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) from Edmonton, the capital of Alberta. Camrose is a small city, but is actively growing along Highway 13, which runs through its centre. Camrose is in a transitory region of Alberta, between prairiePrairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
and boreal forest, known as aspen parkland
Aspen parkland
Aspen parkland refers to a very large area of transitional biome between prairie and boreal forest in two sections; the Peace River Country of northwestern Alberta crossing the border into British Columbia, and a much larger area stretching from central Alberta, all across central Saskatchewan to...
. It is a major centre to the small farming communities in the surrounding area. The Stoney Creek runs through the city and flows into the Battle River
Battle River (Canada)
Battle River is a river in central Alberta and western Saskatchewan. It is a major tributary of the North Saskatchewan River.The Battle River flows for and has a total drainage area of...
south of the city.
Demographics
| Census History |
|
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1911 | 1,586 |
| 1921 | 1,892 |
| 1931 | 2,258 |
| 1941 | 2,598 |
| 1951 | 4,131 |
| 1961 | 6,939 |
| 1971 | 8,673 |
| 1981 | 12,570 |
| 1991 | 13,420 |
| 2001 | 14,854 |
| 2006 | 15,620 |
The population of the City of Camrose according to its 2011 municipal census is 17,236, a 4.2% increase over its 2008 municipal census population of 16,543.
According to the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
-
* Population: 15,620 (5.0% increase from 2001) * Land area: 31.14 km² (12 sq mi) * Population density: * Median age: 41.8 (males: 39.7, females: 43.6) * Total private dwellings: 6,962 * Mean household income: $47,972
The five major ancestries are Scandinavian (26.3%), German (25.6%), English (20.2%), Scottish (17.6%), Irish (14.4%).
About 3.5% of residents identified as aboriginal.
English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is the first language
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
of 90% of the population. About 2.1% of residents said German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, 1.1% said Ukrainian
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
, 1.0% said French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and 0.7% said Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
was their first language. The next most common languages were Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
and Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
at 0.6% each, followed by Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
and Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
at 0.4% each, Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
at 0.3%, and Lao
Lao language
Lao or Laotian is a tonal language of the Tai–Kadai language family. It is the official language of Laos, and also spoken in the northeast of Thailand, where it is usually referred to as the Isan language. Being the primary language of the Lao people, Lao is also an important second language for...
at 0.2%.
The 2001 census found 85% of residents identified as Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, while 14% had no religious affiliation. For specific denominations Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
found that 24% of residents identified as Roman Catholic, while 20% identified as Lutheran, and 19% identified with the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
. Among the less numerous denominations, 4% identified as Anglican
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
, and about 2% each identified as Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and Pentecostal.
History
The area around Camrose was first settled in around 1900. At that time the nearby settlement of Wetaskiwin was a major centre for pioneers; typically, it was the last stopping-off point before they set out in search of nearby land. The site that was to be Camrose was about a day's journey from Wetaskiwin along the railroad, which made it a popular place on the route of pioneers. Soon businessmen and other settlers arrived to stay. The settlers came primarily from ScandinaviaScandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n countries, such as Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and many settlers also came from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. At that time the settlement was known as the hamlet of Stoney Creek. In 1904, Stoney Creek began receiving mail service, its first businesses began to open, and its first RCMP
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
officer (Constable "Blue" Smith) arrived.
On May 4, 1905, the settlement was incorporated as the Village of Sparling, named for Reverend Dr. Sparling. However, because the name was often confused with Sperling and Stirling, in 1906 the Village Council renamed the settlement to Camrose. There is no factual evidence about the reason for the choice of the name Camrose, but it is generally thought that it was named after the Village of Camrose
Camrose, Pembrokeshire
Camrose is a village and parish in the Hundred of Roose , Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales.-Description:Camrose was a civil parish, area 3,386 Ha.The parish church of St Ismael is situated in the village, at grid reference 192720,220060....
in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, South Wales. In December 1906, Camrose was incorporated as a town.
In 1906, Camrose opened its first newspaper, The Camrose Mail, which was replaced in 1908 by the Camrose Canadian, which is still published to this day. In March 1907 the town erected a building for town administration, which also held its first police and fire station. In October 1907 men from Alberta Government Telephones
Alberta Government Telephones
Alberta Government Telephones was formed by the Liberal government of Alexander Cameron Rutherford in 1906 following the acquisitions by the government of several independent telephone companies...
set up Camrose's first telephone exchange, and by 1908 about fifty residents had telephone access. 1911 saw the construction of Camrose's first power plant.
From 1905 to 1914, there was a great deal of railway construction in the Camrose area. Camrose became a bit of a railroad hub, sitting on railways that connected to Edmonton and Calgary, as well as many of the smaller towns in central Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, such as Vegreville
Vegreville, Alberta
-Notable Vegrevillans :*Brent Severyn, former NHL defenseman*Cam Cole, Canadian sports writer*Laurence Decore, lawyer, former mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, and former leader of the Alberta Liberal Party*Roderick Fraser, former president of the University of Alberta...
, Stettler
Stettler, Alberta
Stettler is a town in Alberta, Canada. It is located east of Red Deer at the junction of Highway 12 and Highway 56. The town is located in the eastern region of central Alberta and nicknamed "The Heart of Alberta."- History :...
, Drumheller
Drumheller, Alberta
Drumheller is a town within the Red Deer River valley in the badlands of east-central Alberta, Canada. It is located northeast of Calgary...
, and Wetaskiwin. By 1914, twelve passenger trains came through Camrose daily. In those days the growth of Camrose was strongly linked with the railroad.
On June 26, 1912, the first building of the Camrose Lutheran College
Augustana University College
Augustana University College was a Lutheran college in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, from 1910 until its 2004 merger with the University of Alberta. Now known as the Augustana Faculty of the University of Alberta, it began its operations in 1910 under the name Camrose Lutheran College...
(known as Augustana University College from 1991 to 2004) was opened. Today the campus continues as the Augustana Faculty
University of Alberta Augustana Faculty
The Augustana Campus is a faculty of the University of Alberta located in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. It was merged into the larger, Edmonton, Alberta-based University in 2004....
of the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Camrose Fairgrounds converted to an army training grounds. About ten H-Shaped huts were built, as well as mess quarters, medical building and a storehouse. Thousands of Canadian boys came to Camrose to receive their basic training.
Camrose became a city on January 1, 1955. By 1958, Camrose had converted the old post office into the new City Hall. In 1954, however, Camrose had sold the old town hall to the federal government, so in the interim the city council met for almost three years in the hall of the local Methodist Church.
Camrose has continued to expand, even as the significance of the railroads waned. It is now stretching out along Highway 13, and is becoming a major stop for travellers along that road. With the advent of the Big Valley Jamboree
Big Valley Jamboree
The Big Valley Jamboree is a large country music festival located in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, a city located south east of Edmonton. Created in 1992, the Jamboree is held each year during the August long weekend, and features country singers from all over North America. It is one of the largest...
in Camrose it has become even more oriented towards tourism and hospitality.
Camrose was host to a popular Alberta Music Camp for upwards of 40 years, named MusiCamrose, until it later changed to MusiCamp Alberta, now hosted in Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in the summer of 2007. It was founded by Peterkin.
Camrose is home to the popular Christmas treat, the Christmas sausage, which can be bought in the winter season. Fred Duggan and his butcher invented these. (The Duggan family is one of the four founding families of Camrose.)
On Wednesday, October 26, 2005, a single lottery ticket worth $54,000,000 (the largest in Canadian history) was sold in Camrose. The ticket belonged to seventeen oil industry workers.
In August 2006, Camrose held a Founders Day when four men were inducted as founding fathers of Camrose.
Secondary
Two authorities provide secondary schooling in Camrose, including the Battle River School Division (BRSD) and Elk Island Catholic Schools (EICS). The BRSC operates 37 schools in Camrose and the surrounding area. EICS operates one elementary school (St. Patrick Catholic School) and one junior/senior high-school (Our Lady of Mount Pleasant Catholic School).Post-secondary
The primary post-secondary institution in Camrose is the Augustana Faculty of the University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
(formerly known as Augustana University College
Augustana University College
Augustana University College was a Lutheran college in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, from 1910 until its 2004 merger with the University of Alberta. Now known as the Augustana Faculty of the University of Alberta, it began its operations in 1910 under the name Camrose Lutheran College...
). Established in 1910 by Norwegian settlers, under the name Camrose Lutheran College, Augustana is still inspired by convictions that are part of its pioneer legacy: that personal wholeness emerges from a liberal education, that the proper end of leadership is service to others, and that the spirit of cooperation so crucial to rural life invigorates human endeavour. As a Faculty of the University of Alberta, Augustana continues to build on its reputation for high-quality teaching in a friendly, caring, residence-based setting. In doing so, it provides a distinctive small-campus undergraduate experience within one of Canada's leading universities. Augustana remains mindful of its heritage, open to a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds, and responsive to the rural region in which it is located.
In 2006, the university celebrated its first fourth generation graduate.
Camrose also hosts the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute and Gardner College (previously known as Gardner Bible College and Alberta Bible Institute).
Climate
Parks
Camrose is often called the "Rose City" due to its large amount of parkland containing a large number of wild roses. Also, local rose grower, Jerry Twomey, bred and patented the beautiful Camrose Rose to honour his birth place. This elegant tea rose boasts abundant pink blooms and rich green foliage, making it the most stunning flower in our rose beds.Developed to withstand the drastic Alberta climate, the Camrose Rose was introduced to the city in 1995. It may be seen on display at the Bill Fowler Centre.
- Jubilee Park is often used by the community, located in a valley and featuring barbecue shelters, a wandering stream and wide open space.
- Mirror Lake sits in the centre of the city. The lake is home to two species of swan; the trumpeter and the Polish mute. The City of Camrose provides a winter shelter to the clipped birds. These swanSwanSwans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s have called Camrose home for over twenty years. Mirror Lake Park is the focal point of the Camrose urban parks system. Located on the edge of Mirror Lake, it is the home of the Bill Fowler Centre which contains the Chamber of Commerce office and the Tourist Information Centre. The Bill Fowler Centre features a nature mural, carved out of red brick. The mural features many of the animals which are indigenous to the Mirror Lake area. - Mirror Lake flows from Stoney Creek, which wanders through the city, and provides a river valley for viewing wildlife through paved walking paths.
Sports and recreation
The new Edgeworth Centre, a multi-purpose sporting facility, officially opened on September 28, 2007. The complex includes the 2,500 seat Encana Arena (new home for the AJHL Camrose KodiaksCamrose Kodiaks
The Camrose Kodiaks are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in Camrose, Alberta, Canada at the Edgeworth Centre's Encana Arena, capacity 2500+....
and the Augustana Vikings (ACAC)), and the 300+ seat Border Paving arena. The Edgeworth Centre also boasts a three lane fitness track, fitness centre, physiotherapy clinic, physiotherapy lab, children's play room, meeting rooms, offices, and food and beverage facilities. Attached to this multi-million dollar facility is the Max McLean Arena (former home of the Viking Cup
Viking Cup
The Viking Cup is a world ice hockey tournament in Camrose, Alberta. In 2002 there was a mix of international and Canadian junior leagues allstar teams but in 2004 there was only international junior teams. In 2006, the tournament was divided into two divisions: a junior division and a university...
, Augustana Vikings
Augustana University College
Augustana University College was a Lutheran college in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, from 1910 until its 2004 merger with the University of Alberta. Now known as the Augustana Faculty of the University of Alberta, it began its operations in 1910 under the name Camrose Lutheran College...
ACAC
Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference is the governing body for collegiate sports in Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1964, as the Western Inter-College Conference, the ACAC is represented by seventeen schools, including one in Saskatchewan, that compete in ten sports.The ACAC is a member of the...
, and Camrose Kodiaks
Camrose Kodiaks
The Camrose Kodiaks are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in Camrose, Alberta, Canada at the Edgeworth Centre's Encana Arena, capacity 2500+....
AJHL), as well as the Camrose Aquatic Centre and curling rink.
Other recreational facilities include the Camrose Community Centre (walking track and indoor soccer centre), spray park, Camrose Skate Park, Kinsmen Park (which includes tennis courts, three fastball fields, football field, beach volleyball courts, a 2.2 km walking path), and Rudy Swanson Park, home to various soccer facilities and recreational groups.
Camrose has a large urban trail system which winds through Stoney Creek Valley. The total trail length is approximately 10.2 km.
Camrose is also home to a wide variety of sports clubs including figure skating, baseball, fastball, hockey and swimming to name a few. The Camrose Ski Club, founded in 1911, is the oldest cross-country ski club in Canada, and has produced many elite level athletes including several Olympians.
Media
Camrose is served by three local papers. The weekly Camrose CanadianCamrose Canadian
The Camrose Canadian is a local news publication for the Camrose, Alberta area. Founded in 1908, the paper is now one of many Alberta publications owned by Bowes Publishing, a subsidiary of Sun Media, a Quebecor company....
, the weekly Camrose Booster and the small daily, Camrose Morning News. There is also a local Christian paper published monthly called "Crosswalk".
Camrose has its own local television station which is primarily used for advertising.
Camrose is also home to two radio stations. The first, and most famous, is AM station 790 CFCW
CFCW (AM)
CFCW is a country music radio station in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, broadcasting on 790 kHz AM. The station is owned by Newcap Broadcasting. CFCW also has studios in the NewCap Broadcast Centre in West Edmonton Mall....
. Despite having a studio in West Edmonton Mall
West Edmonton Mall
West Edmonton Mall , located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the largest shopping mall in North America and the fifth largest in the world. The mall was founded by the Ghermezian brothers, who emigrated from Iran in 1959. It was the world's largest mall until 2004.West Edmonton Mall covers a gross...
, CFCW still has its main broadcast studio in Camrose.
The second station is the much-newer FM station, CAM-FM, at a frequency of 98.1 FM. Both stations are owned by Newcap Broadcasting
Newcap Broadcasting
Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited is a major Canadian broadcasting company, majority-owned by Harold R. Steele. Newfoundland Capital is the parent company of Newcap Inc. . It is currently the number two private-sector radio broadcaster in Canada, just behind Astral Media...
.
Sister cities
The City of Camrose has twinning agreementsTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with several similar communities in Canada and around the world. These relationships are developed in part with a mind toward promoting goodwill, education, and economic and tourist benefits.
Kamifurano, Hokkaido
Kamifurano, Hokkaido
is a town located in Sorachi District, Kamikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2007, the town has an estimated population of 12,303 and a density of 52.56 persons per km². The total area is 237.18 km².-Sister city:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- 1984 Warwick, Queensland
Warwick, Queensland
Warwick is a town in Queensland, Australia, lying south-west of Brisbane. It is the administrative centre of the Southern Downs Local Government Area. In 2006 the town of Warwick had a population of 12,562....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
- 1974
Saguenay, QuebecSaguenay, Quebec
Saguenay is a city in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada, on the Saguenay River, about north of Quebec City....
(formerly Chicoutimi) - 1978
Kentville, Nova ScotiaKentville, Nova Scotia
Kentville is a town in Kings County, Nova Scotia. It is one of the main towns in the Annapolis Valley, and it is the county seat of Kings County. As of 2006, the town of Kentville had a population of 5,815 people....
- 1980
Notable residents
- Tyler BouckTyler BouckTyler Bouck is a professional ice hockey player currently with the ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga...
, professional hockey player currently with the ERC IngolstadtERC IngolstadtThe ERC Ingolstadt are a member of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Commonly known as the Panthers, they play their games in Ingolstadt, Germany at the Saturn Arena. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Ingolstadt signed NHLers Marco Sturm, Andy McDonald, Jamie Langenbrunner and Aaron Ward...
of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga - Scott FergusonScott FergusonScott Ferguson is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League with the Edmonton Oilers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Minnesota Wild...
, retired professional hockey player - Josh GreenJosh GreenJoshua Green is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Barons, of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, professional hockey player currently with the Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
of the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...