Alberta Beach is a village in 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...

, west of Edmonton. It is located on the southeast shore of Lac Ste. Anne

Lac Ste. Anne (Alberta)

Lac Ste. Anne is a large lake in central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Lac Ste. Anne County, along Highway 43, 75 km west of Edmonton....

, approximately 8 km (5 mi) west of Highway 43 and 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Highway 633

Alberta Highway 633

Alberta Provincial Highway No. 633 is a highway in the province of Alberta, Canada. It runs west-east from Highway 757 just north of Highway 16 to Highway 2 in St. Albert. It runs through the summer villages on the north side of Isle Lake, and the south side of Lac Ste. Anne. It is also known as...

.

Alberta Beach's economy it is centred around tourism and recreation. The village is the site of the Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage, an event having key significance to Cree aboriginals of the Catholic faith. It is also notable as being one of Edmonton

Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...

, 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...

's main cottage weekend retreats.

Alberta Beach holds the distinction of being the only urban municipality (cities, towns, villages, and summer villages) in Alberta that does not include its municipal status in its official legal name. Its official name is simply Alberta Beach instead of Village of Alberta Beach like the convention used by other urban municipalities. Alberta Beach changed from this convention at the time it changed its municipal status from summer village to village on January 1, 1999.

History

In 1912 the Canadian Northern Railway

Canadian Northern Railway

The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...

 built its Edmonton–Vancouver line through what is now Alberta Beach. It brought its employees out for company picnics and holidays. By 1920 the area had incorporated as a summer village, built a dance pavilion, a large wooden pier, and several cabins. Other companies such as Marshall Wells and Woodward's

Woodward's

Woodward's was the name of a department store chain which operated in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada for one hundred years, before its sale to the Hudson's Bay Company .-History:...

 then began to bring their employees out for the same relaxing and beautiful atmosphere.

There was such a demand for this atmosphere that the Moonlight Express was started. The railway picked people up in Edmonton on Saturday mornings, took them to Alberta Beach, then picked them up Sunday night to take them back to Edmonton.

Soon people began purchasing and building their own cabins and small businesses. On January 1, 1999, the Summer Village of Alberta Beach became a village. It now has 884 year-round residents and can swell to over 3,000 people during long weekends. A hotel and many small businesses operate within the village. Alberta Beach has developed in many ways while still preserving the reason for its popularity. The tranquility and beauty of the lake still draw admiration and provides relaxation to those who come to enjoy the area.

Demographics

In 2006, Alberta Beach had a population of 884 living in 731 dwellings, a 16% increase from 2001. The community has an area of 1.98 km² (0.764482274013219 sq mi) and a population density of 446.3 inhabitants per square kilometer.

External links

• Alberta Beach – official web site
• Alberta Beach's Population Data