Cold Lake, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Cold Lake is a city in northeastern Alberta
, Canada
, named after the lake it is situated near.
provincial border. The area surrounding the city is sparsely populated, and consists mostly of farmland. The Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, located to the north of the city, is the Canadian equivalent to the United States Air Force
's Nellis Air Force Range.
was first recorded on a 1790 map, by the name of Coldwater Lake. Originally three communities, Cold Lake was formed by merging the Town of Grand Centre
, the Town of Cold Lake, and Medley (Canadian Forces Base 4 Wing
) on October 1, 1996. Grand Centre was renamed Cold Lake South, and the original Cold Lake is known as Cold Lake North. Because of its origins, the area is also known as the Tri-Town.
In 2006, Cold Lake had a population of 11,991 living in 4,834 dwellings
, a 4.1% increase from 2001. The city has a land area of 59.3 km² (22.9 sq mi) and a population density
of 202.2 /km2.
About 8.7% of residents identified themselves as aboriginal at the time of the 2006 census.
Almost 89% of residents identified English
and more than 7% identified French
as their first language
. Almost 1% identified German
, 0.5% identified Chinese
, 0.4% each identified Dutch
and Ukrainian
, and 0.3% each identified Cree
and Arabic
as their first language learned.
About 82 percent of residents identified as Christian
at the time of the 2001 census, while more than 17 percent indicated they had no religious affiliation. For specific denominations Statistics Canada
found that 40% of residents identified as Roman Catholic, 14% identified with the United Church of Canada
, 5.5% identified as Anglican
, 3% as Baptist
, 2.5% as Lutheran, and 2% as Pentecostal.
project in Fort McMurray
is having a growing influence in the region as well. The Cold Lake oil sands
may become a significant contributor to the local economy.
Every year Cold Lake hosts military forces from around the world for Exercise Maple Flag
, a training exercise where pilots and support staff of NATO allies can take advantage of the Air Weapons Range and relatively open rural air space. Running from 4 to 6 weeks and starting in May of each year, commercial accommodations in the entire region are left with little to no vacancy. This annual exercise contributes a substantial amount of capital into these industries and other hospitality-related businesses.
has a large number of sites, and is more secluded than the M.D. site (which is surrounded by development). The Provincial campground boasts a wilderness trail system, a beach, boatlaunch and a powered section. Nearby Meadow Lake Provincial Park
to the east, across the border in Saskatchewan
, has facilities similar to Cold Lake Provincial Park.
Kinosoo Beach is a favorite destination during the hot summer months between June and August.
The Iron Horse Trail, a recreational trail situated on a former railway line (see rail trail
) has its eastern-most terminus in Cold Lake.
Recreational past times include, among others:
mayor was re-elected, and 3 incumbent councillors were re-elected to council.
The current councillors of Cold Lake are Bob Buckle, Duane Lay, Victoria Lefebvre, Darrell MacDonald, Kelvin Plain, and Chris Vining.
At the provincial level, the city is in the district of Bonnyville-Cold Lake
. Its current representative is Genia Leskiw
, from the Progressive Conservatives.
At the federal level, the city is in the district of Westlock—St. Paul
, and is the largest community in the riding. Its current representative is Brian Storseth
, from the Conservative Party of Canada
.
Northern Lights School Division No. 69(Publicly funded)
Northern Lights School Division was the recipient of the Alberta Premier's Award for Innovation and Excellence for its Literacy Programs
Lakeland Catholic School District (Publicly funded)
Lakeland Catholic was the recipient of the "2005 Alberta Premier's Award for Innovation and Excellence" for their "Anti-bullying/Moral Intelligence" Initiative.
Francophone School (Publicly funded)
(Köppen climate classification
Dfb).
and Cougar Squadron
, each with 4 flights of about 30 cadets, the Survival Instructor Course (6 weeks) and Basic Survival Course (3 weeks), which includes roughly 300 cadets a summer and the Service Band Course (6 weeks) which includes around 30 cadets. There is also Basic Fitness and Sports (3 weeks). CLCSTC is run by the Department of National Defense in conjunction with the Air Cadet League of Canada. The Service Band and Senior Leaders Course are situated on the main base, whereas the Survival Wing is situated in a more suitably wild area a small distance away from the base. The 56-year old Service Band and Senior Leaders Course ceased in 2010, with the latter moving to a regional camp in 2011.
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...
, named after the lake it is situated near.
Geography
The city is situated in Alberta's "Lakeland" district, 300 km northeast of Edmonton, near the Alberta-SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
provincial border. The area surrounding the city is sparsely populated, and consists mostly of farmland. The Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, located to the north of the city, is the Canadian equivalent to the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's Nellis Air Force Range.
History
Cold LakeCold Lake (Alberta)
Cold Lake is a large lake in Northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. The lake straddles the Alberta/Saskatchewan border, and has a water area of . It is also one of the deepest lakes in Alberta with a maximum depth of . It has around 24 known species of fish in it and is a major ice fishing lake...
was first recorded on a 1790 map, by the name of Coldwater Lake. Originally three communities, Cold Lake was formed by merging the Town of Grand Centre
Grand Centre, Alberta
Grand Centre was a town in Alberta, Canada.It was amalgamated with Cold Lake and Medley, a community on CFB Cold Lake, to form the new city of Cold Lake in 1996.-References:...
, the Town of Cold Lake, and Medley (Canadian Forces Base 4 Wing
CFB Cold Lake
Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake , commonly referred to as CFB Cold Lake, is a Canadian Forces Base located within the City of Cold Lake, Alberta. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CF-18 Hornet fighter/interceptor...
) on October 1, 1996. Grand Centre was renamed Cold Lake South, and the original Cold Lake is known as Cold Lake North. Because of its origins, the area is also known as the Tri-Town.
Demographics
The population of the City of Cold Lake according to its 2009 municipal census is 13,924.In 2006, Cold Lake had a population of 11,991 living in 4,834 dwellings
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, a 4.1% increase from 2001. The city has a land area of 59.3 km² (22.9 sq mi) and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 202.2 /km2.
About 8.7% of residents identified themselves as aboriginal at the time of the 2006 census.
Almost 89% of residents identified 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...
and more than 7% identified 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...
as their 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...
. Almost 1% identified 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....
, 0.5% identified 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...
, 0.4% each identified 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...
and 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....
, and 0.3% each identified Cree
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
and Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
as their first language learned.
About 82 percent 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...
at the time of the 2001 census, while more than 17 percent indicated they 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 40% of residents identified as Roman Catholic, 14% 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...
, 5.5% 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...
, 3% 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...
, 2.5% as Lutheran, and 2% as Pentecostal.
Economy
The city's economy is inextricably linked to military spending at CFB Cold Lake. The region also supports oil and gas exploration and production. The Athabasca Oil SandsAthabasca Oil Sands
The Athabasca oil sands are large deposits of bitumen, or extremely heavy crude oil, located in northeastern Alberta, Canada - roughly centred on the boomtown of Fort McMurray...
project in Fort McMurray
Fort McMurray, Alberta
Fort McMurray is an urban service area in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Alberta, Canada. It was previously incorporated as a city on September 1, 1980. It became an urban service area when it amalgamated with Improvement District No. 143 on April 1, 1995 to create the Municipality...
is having a growing influence in the region as well. The Cold Lake oil sands
Cold Lake oil sands
The Cold Lake oil sands are a large deposit of oil sands located near Cold Lake, Alberta.Cold Lake is east of Alberta's capital, Edmonton, near Alberta's border with Saskatchewan, and a small portion of the Cold Lake field lies in Saskatchewan.In 1980 a plant in Cold Lake was one of just two oil...
may become a significant contributor to the local economy.
Every year Cold Lake hosts military forces from around the world for Exercise Maple Flag
MAPLE FLAG
MAPLE FLAG is an advanced aerial combat training exercise hosted at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta.Established in 1978, MAPLE FLAG is one of the largest of such exercises in the world, as it makes use of the extensive Cold Lake Air Weapons Range which is co-existent with CFB Cold Lake...
, a training exercise where pilots and support staff of NATO allies can take advantage of the Air Weapons Range and relatively open rural air space. Running from 4 to 6 weeks and starting in May of each year, commercial accommodations in the entire region are left with little to no vacancy. This annual exercise contributes a substantial amount of capital into these industries and other hospitality-related businesses.
Recreation
Cold Lake is situated near a large number of campgrounds due to its proximity to the lake. The M.D. campground has powered sites, shower facilities with flush toilets, a covered camp picnic area, and a lookout. The Cold Lake Provincial ParkCold Lake Provincial Park
Cold Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in north eastern Alberta, Canada.It is located 3km east of the city of Cold Lake, on Highway 28, and extends to the Saskatchewan border....
has a large number of sites, and is more secluded than the M.D. site (which is surrounded by development). The Provincial campground boasts a wilderness trail system, a beach, boatlaunch and a powered section. Nearby Meadow Lake Provincial Park
Meadow Lake Provincial Park
Meadow Lake Provincial Park is a northern boreal forest recreational park accessed centrally through Goodsoil. The village of Goodsoil is located approximately 78 km west of Meadow Lake. The eastern entrance to the park is located north of Dorintosh. The western gateway into the Meadow...
to the east, across the border in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, has facilities similar to Cold Lake Provincial Park.
Kinosoo Beach is a favorite destination during the hot summer months between June and August.
The Iron Horse Trail, a recreational trail situated on a former railway line (see rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
) has its eastern-most terminus in Cold Lake.
Recreational past times include, among others:
- Hockey
- Box Lacrosse
- Geocaching
- Martial Arts
- Rugby
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Bowling
- Curling
- Golf
- Horseback Riding
- 4H (in Cherry Grove)
- Rodeo (Cold Lake Ag Society)
- Dance
- Sailing
- Boating
- Fishing
- Downhill Skiing
- Cold Lake MuseumsCold Lake MuseumsThe Cold Lake Museums are four museums that are located on the old facility of 42 Radar Squadron on the north edge of Cold Lake South. The museums included are the Cold Lake Air Force Museum, as well as the Oil and Gas, Heritage and Aboriginal Museums. Visitors enter from into the Air Force Museum...
Politics
The last local election was held in October 2010, seeing 14 councillor candidates and 2 mayoral candidates. The incumbentIncumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
mayor was re-elected, and 3 incumbent councillors were re-elected to council.
- Raymond Coates, 1996–1998
- Hansa Thaleshvar, 1998–2004
- Allan Buck, 2004–2007
- Craig Copeland, 2007–present
The current councillors of Cold Lake are Bob Buckle, Duane Lay, Victoria Lefebvre, Darrell MacDonald, Kelvin Plain, and Chris Vining.
At the provincial level, the city is in the district of Bonnyville-Cold Lake
Bonnyville-Cold Lake
Bonnyville-Cold Lake is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is one of 83 current districts mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting....
. Its current representative is Genia Leskiw
Genia Leskiw
Genia Leskiw is a Canadian politician, who was elected in the 2008 provincial election to represent the electoral district of Bonnyville-Cold Lake in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the first woman and the first Ukrainian to represent the area...
, from the Progressive Conservatives.
At the federal level, the city is in the district of Westlock—St. Paul
Westlock—St. Paul
Westlock–St. Paul is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004. It includes the counties of Westlock, Sturgeon, Thorhild, Smoky Lake, St. Paul and the municipal district of Bonnyville.-History:This riding was created in...
, and is the largest community in the riding. Its current representative is Brian Storseth
Brian Storseth
Brian S. Storseth is a businessman and Conservative politician in Alberta, Canada. He is the current MP for Westlock—St. Paul, having defeated his next nearest opponent by a margin of over 53% in the Canadian federal election, 2006....
, from the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
.
Schools
Cold Lake hosts several public schools:Northern Lights School Division No. 69(Publicly funded)
Northern Lights School Division was the recipient of the Alberta Premier's Award for Innovation and Excellence for its Literacy Programs
- Cold Lake Elementary School (Preschool, K-3)
- North Star Elementary School (K-3, English/French Immersion, Host Site for Grand Centre Playschool)
- Nelson Heights Middle School (4-8)
- Cold Lake Middle School (4-8, English/French Immersion)
- Cold Lake High School (9-12, Work Experience), founded in 2009
- Bridges Outreach School (7-9)
- Cold Lake Off-Campus (10-12)
Lakeland Catholic School District (Publicly funded)
Lakeland Catholic was the recipient of the "2005 Alberta Premier's Award for Innovation and Excellence" for their "Anti-bullying/Moral Intelligence" Initiative.
- Assumption Junior/Senior High School (Catholic) (7-12 French Immersion and English)
- Holy Cross Elementary School (Catholic) (K-6 French Immersion and English)
- St. Dominic's Elementary School (Catholic) (K-6 French Immersion and English)
Francophone School (Publicly funded)
- Ecole Voyageur (pre-school-12 French, Catholic)
Climate
Cold Lake's climate is humid continentalHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfb).
Sports
Cold Lake has a variety of sports, including:- Hockey (Home to the Cold Lake IceCold Lake IceThe Cold Lake Ice are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League . They play their home games at J.J. Parr Sports & Recreation Centre.-Players:...
, Junior B Team) & (Home to the Cold Lake Freeze, Minor Hockey Teams) - Lacrosse (Home to the Cold Lake Heat, Minor Lacrosse Teams)
- Volleyball(Assumption and CLHS)
- Football (CLHS Royals)
- Basketball (Assumption and CLHS)
- Soccer (Indoor and outdoor)
- Baseball
- Rugby (Assumption and CLHS combined team and Cold Lake Penguins Men's RFC)
- Hapkido
- Tae Kwon Do (unified taekwondo, and occasionally International Taekwon-Do Federation or World Taekwondo FederationWorld Taekwondo FederationThe World Taekwondo Federation is the International Federation member of the International Olympic Committee for the competition events of the martial art of taekwondo...
) - Figure Skating (Cold Lake Figure Skating Club)
- Figure Skating (Norlight Skating Club)
- Downhill Skiing (Kinosoo Ridge Snow Resort)
- Dancing (Pirouette School of Dance with award winning dance team)
- Mixed Martial Arts (Team Sparta)
- Roller Derby (Lakeland Ladykillers Roller Derby League)
Cadet Summer Training Centre
Cold Lake is also home to the Cold Lake Cadet Summer Training Centre (CLCSTC). CLCSTC is situated in the heart of 4 Wing Cold Lake and hosts around five hundred Cadets (Air, Sea and Army) and 200 staff members including both Cadet staff and CF officers. Courses at CLCSTC include the Senior Leaders Course (6 weeks) which comprises a wing of two squadrons, each named after the two fighter squadrons of 4 Wing Cold Lake, Nighthawk SquadronNo. 409 Squadron RCAF
409 Tactical Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Canadian Forces under Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron operates the CF-18 Hornet from CFB Cold Lake in Alberta, Canada.-History:...
and Cougar Squadron
No. 410 Squadron RCAF
410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron, nicknamed the "Cougars", is a Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft squadron currently located at Canada's primary training base for the CF-18 , at Cold Lake, Alberta...
, each with 4 flights of about 30 cadets, the Survival Instructor Course (6 weeks) and Basic Survival Course (3 weeks), which includes roughly 300 cadets a summer and the Service Band Course (6 weeks) which includes around 30 cadets. There is also Basic Fitness and Sports (3 weeks). CLCSTC is run by the Department of National Defense in conjunction with the Air Cadet League of Canada. The Service Band and Senior Leaders Course are situated on the main base, whereas the Survival Wing is situated in a more suitably wild area a small distance away from the base. The 56-year old Service Band and Senior Leaders Course ceased in 2010, with the latter moving to a regional camp in 2011.