Acme, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Acme is a village in south-central Alberta
Central Alberta
Central Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Central Alberta is the most densely populated rural area in the province...
, 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...
. It is located 83 kilometres (51.6 mi) northeast of Calgary, Alberta. It was the first village to be incorporated in Kneehill County
Kneehill County, Alberta
Kneehill County is a municipal district situated in Division No. 5, Alberta, central Alberta.The presence of oil and natural gas in the region has attracted some industry.-Demographics:...
.
The name Acme is derived from the village's railway heritage. When the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
reached the area in 1909, the village's station became the most northernly stop on the company's network. The moniker Acme (of Greek origin, meaning 'the highest point') was thus applied to the community by CPR surveyors of the day.
Demographics
The population of the Village of Acme according to its 2010 municipal census is 730.In 2006, Acme had a population of 656 living in 286 dwellings, a 1% increase in population from 2001. The community has an area of 2.47 km² (0.953672331723561 sq mi) and a population density of 265.1 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Services and amenities
Acme is home to a bank, an auto parts store, an automobile dealership, a Royal Canadian LegionRoyal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of...
branch, lumberyard, a restaurant, a bar and pub, a gas station convenience stores, a hair salon, a campground, a seniors' centre, a curling rink, an outdoor skating rink, ball diamonds, a soccer field, a golf course, and a swimming pool.
The village's community hall burned down in the spring of 2004, but has since been replaced - the new centre opened in spring of 2006 (see link below). Acme's baseball diamonds regularly attract summer baseball tournaments (including numerous provincial championships, the most recent having been played in July 2006), while the community's curling rink regularly hosts bonspiels and league curling play during the winter.
Acme School
Acme School, located at the intersection of Walsh Avenue and Main Street, provides elementary and senior high school instruction (junior high school is provided in LindenLinden, Alberta
Linden is a village located in Kneehill County, Alberta, in the central part of the province. It is located 28 km southwest of Three Hills and 26 km north of Beiseker....
at Dr. Elliott School). The school has been rebuilt and remodeled many times during its history, and consistently ranks as one of the province's leading schools in terms of academic achievement. Acme School also has a significant sports focus - its high school sports teams, nicknamed the Redmen, have won dozens of Alberta Schools Athletic Association
Alberta Schools Athletic Association
The Alberta Schools' Athletic Association is the governing body that oversees amateur athelics in schools for the province of Alberta. It is a voluntary, non profit organization that currently has three hundred and fifty eight member high schools...
(ASAA) South Central Zone championships at the 1A and 2A levels, as well as four ASAA provincial championships (the two most recent being 2010 1A Girls Basketball and 2010 1A Boys Volleyball titles). The Redmen compete in basketball, volleyball, track and field, and badminton events.
Notable natives
- The Honourable Helen HunleyHelen HunleyThe Honourable Wilma Helen Hunley, OC, AOE was a former Canadian politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, the first woman to serve in that post.-Early life:...
- first female Lieutenant Governor of AlbertaLieutenant Governor of AlbertaThe Lieutenant Governor of Alberta is the viceregal representative in Alberta of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the nine other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United... - Dr. Grant Gall - former Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of CalgaryUniversity of CalgaryThe University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
- Art Price - former President and CEO, Husky Oil