St. Albert, Alberta
Encyclopedia
St. Albert is a suburb
an city in Alberta
, located northwest of Edmonton
, on the Sturgeon River
. It was originally settled as a Métis
community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St. Albert first received its town status in 1904 and was reached by the Canadian Northern Railway
in 1906.
Originally separated from Edmonton by several miles of farmland, the 1980s expansion of Edmonton's city limits placed St. Albert immediately adjacent to the larger city on St. Albert's south and east sides.
, OMI, who built a small chapel: the Father Lacombe Chapel in the Sturgeon River valley. This chapel still stands to this day on Mission Hill in St. Albert. The original settlement was named Saint Albert by Bishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché
O.M.I. after Lacombe's name saint; Saint Albert of Louvain. Although Lacombe had originally intended to found the mission at Lac Ste. Anne, the soil proved infertile and he moved the settlement to what would become St. Albert. The location offered several advantages, notably its easy access to supplies of wood and water, its excellent soil, it being a regular stopping point for First Nations
peoples on their travels, and its proximity to Fort Edmonton
, where the priests could purchase necessary supplies and minister to Catholic workers. A few years later, a group of Grey Nuns
would follow Lacombe from Lac Ste. Anne.
During the late 20th and early 21st century it was mistakenly assumed that the community had been named after St. Albert the Great. This was due to incorrect information in the 1985 history of St. Albert; The Black Robe's Vision, published by the amateur historians of the St. Albert Historical Society. This led to the City of St. Albert erroneously promoting St. Albert the Great as the community's patron saint and even erecting a statue of the wrong saint in the downtown area. This misconception was not corrected until 2008. The original chapel has since become an historic site staffed with historical interpreters and is open to the public in the summer season.
Also in St. Albert is the St. Albert Grain Elevators Park. There are two historic Grain Elevators there; one constructed in 1906 by the Alberta Grain Company, the other was built later in 1929 by The Alberta Wheat Pool company. There is also a reproduction of the original 1909 railway station housed at the Grain Elevators Park, the reproduction was constructed in 2005. On Madonna Drive stands the Little White School House which is open to the public. Arts and Heritage - St. Albert maintain this site as well as the Grain Elevators and other heritage buildings and sites under restoration in the city. In June 2009, the City Council approved a multi-staged plan for the heritage sites. The plan features the restoration of the grain elevators and the opening of both a Métis and French Canadian farm on adjacent lots by the River.
The population of the City of St. Albert according to its 2010 municipal census is 60,138, a 2.8% increase over its 2008 municipal census population of 58,501.
In 2006, St. Albert had a population of 57,719 living in 20,938 dwellings
, an 8.7% increase from 2001. The city has a land area of 35.04 km² (13.5 sq mi) and a population density
of 1647.4 /km2. St. Albert has placed in the top 5 of "Most Wealthy Cities in Canada" based on average net income per citizen, since 2000.
According to Statistics Canada
2001 Census
, St. Albert had a population of 53,081 (subsequently it grew to 54,588 in 2003 and 56,310 in 2005). The growth rate from 1998 to 2003 was 10.8%. A total of 19,037 private dwellings were enumerated in the city, which has a land area of 34.61 km² (13.4 sq mi), resulting in a population density
of 1,335 people per km² (3,457.6/sq mi).
Due to the city's adjacency to Edmonton, all major Edmonton media—newspapers, television, and radio—also serve St. Albert. See Media in Edmonton
.
to the federal legislature. After the rise of the Reform Party of Canada
and its subsequent change to the Canadian Alliance
, John G. Williams
was elected and served five terms as the city's Member of Parliament, becoming a Conservative MP after the Alliance's 2003 merger with the Progressive Conservative Party, before stepping down in 2008. Brent Rathgeber
of the Conservative Party of Canada
is the current Member of Parliament.
Provincially, St. Albert is currently represented by the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta in the legislature. In previous elections, however, it has alternated between Liberal and Conservative representatives.
St. Albert's governing body is composed of a mayor (currently Nolan Crouse
) and six city councillors
. Municipal elections are held every three years, the last was October 18, 2010.
, its sculptural symmetry mimics the curves of the Sturgeon River that runs behind it. There are no corners; only curves. Built in 1984, St. Albert Place was designed as a "people place", housing a unique combination of civic government and cultural activity. Currently it houses the St. Albert Public Library, Musée Héritage Museum, Visual Arts Studio and Arden Theatre, as well as City Hall and associated city government services. The Musée Héritage Museum celebrates and explores the story of St. Albert through a variety of programs which seek to preserve the community's history for the future. The Museum houses both permanent and temporary exhibits and also contains a Children’s Discovery Room and gift shop. The Archives at the Museum consist of over 6,500 artifacts, 1,100 programming objects, 70 linear metres of textual record, around 3,000 pre-1948 photographs and thousands of post-1948 photographs. The Museum is operated by Arts and Heritage St. Albert.
St. Albert has a rich arts scene. St. Albert is home to a writers' guild and painters' guild and renowned bands like Social Code
and Tupelo Honey
hail from St. Albert. The Arden Theatre is a popular venue for many plays and musical performances.
The St. Albert public art gallery, Art Gallery of St. Albert is a focal point of St. Albert’s downtown. The gallery is housed in the historical Banque d'Hochelaga building in the heart of downtown St. Albert. The Gallery features monthly exhibitions, a variety of public programs and also runs an annual art auction in St Albert. Art Gallery of St. Albert is one of the stops on the St. Albert ArtWalk. Art Gallery of St. Albert is operated by Arts and Heritage St. Albert.
St. Albert is also notable for its Aboriginal
heritage. The city is home to the Michif Institute founded by former Senator Thelma Chalifoux
, dedicated to preserving and spreading knowledge of the city's Métis
background. The Musée Héritage Museum contains many Métis artifacts. Many of the street signs in the city's downtown core are also trilingual, written in French
and Cree in addition to English, as a tribute to the city's multiracial and multilinguistic origins. A current city project is to replace English-only signs with trilingual versions as the English-only versions wear out.
In 2008, NBC decided to film portions of its new horror/suspense anthology series Fear Itself
in St. Albert's downtown and river valley.
St. Albert also has a St. Albert Children's Theatre group putting on two large musicals a year with many summer camps to participate in.
St. Albert is home to the St. Albert Community Band, whose motto is "Music is for Life!"
North America, attracting over 40,000 participants over 5 days, at the end of May. During the five days of the Festival, children experience sights and sounds of many different cultures while learning through the medium nearest and dearest to their hearts - by playing!
The mainstage events feature a host of international artists from Scotland, Netherlands, USA, Mexico, Cuba, New Zealand, and (of course) Canada offering performances of puppetry, music, dance, acrobatics, clowning and theatre that will amaze and delight.
The Kinsmen Rainmaker Rodeo starts with a parade that winds its way through the heart of St. Albert. After the parade, the rodeo begins, with exciting rodeo events, midway, and musical performances.
The Outdoor Farmers' Market, held in downtown St. Albert, is Western Canada’s largest outdoor farmers' market, attracting 10,000 to 15,000 people every Saturday from June to October. You can find locally grown fresh produce, hand made products and crafts and listen to the music of the buskers.
As many as 6,000 participants come to St. Albert to enjoy Rock'n August, a week-long festival held to celebrate the rumbles of chrome pipes and the rim shots of classic Rock and Roll music. Hotrodders come from kilometres around with their masterpieces to show them off and look at the creations of others as well.
Other annual events include the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival, and Mambos & Mocktails, a 3 hour jazz concert played every December at Bellerose Composite High School by the jazz band and choir.
Arts and Heritage - St. Albert also host an annual Harvest Festival at the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park.
The Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Festival, held at the Arden Theatre is one of the largest dance festivals of its kind in North America. It is hosted annually by the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company
and generally takes place during the second weekend in May.
district is Protestant. St. Albert is one of only two communities in Alberta where this is the case (the other being the Town of St. Paul).
School districts
St. Albert is also home to the North Central Francophone School Board
. Their school's name is "La Mission" located in the Heritage Lakes sub-division. This school jurisdiction has minority language rights assured by the Constitution Act, 1982
(section 23).
The STAR Literacy Program matches volunteer tutors with adults who wish to improve their reading and writing skills.
The Red Willow park trail system winds its way all through St. Albert and connects many parks, schools, and residential areas, including Lacombe Lake Park.
Facilities
In September 2006, a $42.77-million multi-purpose leisure centre, Servus Credit Union Place
, was built. It features a recreational aquatic centre, a kid's play area, the Troy Murray and Mark Messier hockey rinks, a 2000-seat performance rink, two soccer fields, three basketball courts, a large exercise room, and a running track among other amenities. Construction of the facility, touted as an eventual break-even operation, was approved via plebiscite during the 2004 municipal election. In December 2007, it was learned the facility would lose $2.1 million during its first year of operation, losses that were eventually subsidized by local property taxpayers to the tune of $21.28 per $100,000 of assessment in spring 2008. In 2011, the budgeted operating deficit was $860,800.
There was some controversy in 2006 when the city announced that they were renaming the Mark Messier and Troy Murray hockey rinks, and were going to offer these rights for sale. The two rinks, which together were known as Campbell Arena, were originally named after these local hockey stars shortly after the arena opened in 1992. There was such a controversy, which included an article in Sports Illustrated
that mayor Paul Chalifoux
decided to repeal the decision. The Campbell twin arena has since been added onto as part of the creation of the St. Albert Multi-Purpose Leisure Centre (now Servus Credit Union Place).
There is also Fountain Park pool and Grosvenor pool, offering a variety of pools, tennis courts, racketball courts and a child play area.
Hockey
The St. Albert Steel
play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League
. Their home games are played at Servus Credit Union Place
e. In 2004, the city's previous Alberta Junior Hockey League
team, the St. Albert Saints
, which had been one of the most prestigious teams in the league during its life and produced players such as Mark Messier
and Mike Comrie
, moved to nearby Spruce Grove
.
NHL hockey star Jarome Iginla
, captain of the Calgary Flames
, is originally from St. Albert. He played his entire minor hockey career in the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association, which included stints with the Bantam AAA Sabres and the Midget AAA Raiders. It was during the 1992-93 season with the Raiders that Iginla, then an under-age midget player, scored 87 points to lead the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey league in scoring. Following this season Iginla joined the Kamloops Blazers as a 16 year old.
Other hockey players that have played in St. Albert are Mark Messier
, Rob Brown, Geoff Sanderson
, Fernando Pisani
, Paul Comrie
, Mike Comrie
, Troy Murray
, Stu Barnes
, Brian Benning
, Steven Goertzen
, René Bourque
, Jamie Lundmark
, Steve Reinprecht, Todd Ewen
, Dion Phaneuf
, Ryan Kinasewich
, and Drew Stafford
.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an city in 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...
, located northwest 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...
, on the Sturgeon River
Sturgeon River (Alberta)
Sturgeon River is a 260 km long river located in central Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the North Saskatchewan River. The stream crosses Sturgeon County, which was named for this river....
. It was originally settled as a Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
community, and is now the second largest city in the Edmonton area. St. Albert first received its town status in 1904 and was reached by 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...
in 1906.
Originally separated from Edmonton by several miles of farmland, the 1980s expansion of Edmonton's city limits placed St. Albert immediately adjacent to the larger city on St. Albert's south and east sides.
History
St. Albert was founded in 1861 by Father Albert LacombeAlbert Lacombe
Albert Lacombe , commonly known in Alberta simply as Father Lacombe, was a French-Canadian Roman Catholic missionary who lived among and evangelized the Cree and Blackfoot First Nations of western Canada...
, OMI, who built a small chapel: the Father Lacombe Chapel in the Sturgeon River valley. This chapel still stands to this day on Mission Hill in St. Albert. The original settlement was named Saint Albert by Bishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché
Alexandre-Antonin Taché
Alexandre-Antonin Taché was a Roman Catholic priest, missionary of the Oblate order, author and the first Archbishop of Saint Boniface in the Canadian province of Manitoba.In late 1844 Taché entered the Oblate novitiate...
O.M.I. after Lacombe's name saint; Saint Albert of Louvain. Although Lacombe had originally intended to found the mission at Lac Ste. Anne, the soil proved infertile and he moved the settlement to what would become St. Albert. The location offered several advantages, notably its easy access to supplies of wood and water, its excellent soil, it being a regular stopping point for First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
peoples on their travels, and its proximity to Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton was the name of a series of trading posts of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1795 to 1891, all of which were located in central Alberta, Canada...
, where the priests could purchase necessary supplies and minister to Catholic workers. A few years later, a group of Grey Nuns
Grey Nuns
The Order of Sisters of Charity of Montreal, formerly called The Order of Sisters of Charity of the Hôpital Général of Montreal and more commonly known as the Grey Nuns of Montreal, is a Canadian order of Roman Catholic religious sisters...
would follow Lacombe from Lac Ste. Anne.
During the late 20th and early 21st century it was mistakenly assumed that the community had been named after St. Albert the Great. This was due to incorrect information in the 1985 history of St. Albert; The Black Robe's Vision, published by the amateur historians of the St. Albert Historical Society. This led to the City of St. Albert erroneously promoting St. Albert the Great as the community's patron saint and even erecting a statue of the wrong saint in the downtown area. This misconception was not corrected until 2008. The original chapel has since become an historic site staffed with historical interpreters and is open to the public in the summer season.
Also in St. Albert is the St. Albert Grain Elevators Park. There are two historic Grain Elevators there; one constructed in 1906 by the Alberta Grain Company, the other was built later in 1929 by The Alberta Wheat Pool company. There is also a reproduction of the original 1909 railway station housed at the Grain Elevators Park, the reproduction was constructed in 2005. On Madonna Drive stands the Little White School House which is open to the public. Arts and Heritage - St. Albert maintain this site as well as the Grain Elevators and other heritage buildings and sites under restoration in the city. In June 2009, the City Council approved a multi-staged plan for the heritage sites. The plan features the restoration of the grain elevators and the opening of both a Métis and French Canadian farm on adjacent lots by the River.
Demographics
| Census History |
|
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1911 | 614 |
| 1941 | 697 |
| 1951 | 1,129 |
| 1961 | 4,059 |
| 1971 | 11,800 |
| 1981 | 31,996 |
| 1991 | 42,146 |
| 2001 | 53,081 |
| 2006 | 57,719 |
| 2010 | 60,138 |
The population of the City of St. Albert according to its 2010 municipal census is 60,138, a 2.8% increase over its 2008 municipal census population of 58,501.
In 2006, St. Albert had a population of 57,719 living in 20,938 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...
, an 8.7% increase from 2001. The city has a land area of 35.04 km² (13.5 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 1647.4 /km2. St. Albert has placed in the top 5 of "Most Wealthy Cities in Canada" based on average net income per citizen, since 2000.
According to 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....
2001 Census
Canada 2001 Census
The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15, 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In...
, St. Albert had a population of 53,081 (subsequently it grew to 54,588 in 2003 and 56,310 in 2005). The growth rate from 1998 to 2003 was 10.8%. A total of 19,037 private dwellings were enumerated in the city, which has a land area of 34.61 km² (13.4 sq mi), resulting in 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 1,335 people per km² (3,457.6/sq mi).
Media
There are two distributed newspapers published in St. Albert, the St. Albert Gazette and the "St. Albert Leader". In 2011 a previous newspaper in St. Albert, the Saint City News, closed after 13 years of activity.Due to the city's adjacency to Edmonton, all major Edmonton media—newspapers, television, and radio—also serve St. Albert. See Media in Edmonton
Media in Edmonton
This is a list of media outlets in the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta.Many of these outlets - in particular the daily newspapers and the radio and TV broadcasters - also serve the numerous cities and communities in close proximity to Edmonton, including St...
.
Politics
St. Albert has traditionally elected members of the Conservative Party of CanadaConservative 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...
to the federal legislature. After the rise of the Reform Party of Canada
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
and its subsequent change to the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
, John G. Williams
John G. Williams
John G. Williams was a Conservative MP representing Edmonton—St. Albert in the Canadian parliament from 1993 to 2008. He was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland...
was elected and served five terms as the city's Member of Parliament, becoming a Conservative MP after the Alliance's 2003 merger with the Progressive Conservative Party, before stepping down in 2008. Brent Rathgeber
Brent Rathgeber
Brent Rathgeber is a lawyer and politician from Alberta, Canada. Formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2001 to 2004, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2008 federal election.-Political career:Rathgeber won election to the provincial electoral district of...
of 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...
is the current Member of Parliament.
Provincially, St. Albert is currently represented by the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta in the legislature. In previous elections, however, it has alternated between Liberal and Conservative representatives.
St. Albert's governing body is composed of a mayor (currently Nolan Crouse
Nolan Crouse
Nolan Crouse is the current mayor of St. Albert, Alberta, Canada.Crouse's professional background includes managerial positions with a number of different companies, including Procter and Gamble, Alberta Energy Company, West Fraser Timber Co., Slave Lake Pulp Corporation, and Sunchild Forest...
) and six city councillors
St. Albert City Council
The St. Albert City Council is the governing body of the City of St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. It is composed of a mayor and six councillors, aldermen prior to 2001...
. Municipal elections are held every three years, the last was October 18, 2010.
Crime
St. Albert is one of the safest cities in Canada. In 2009 it was ranked 95th on Maclean magazine's list of the most dangerous cities in Canada.Arts and culture
Located in the heart of downtown, St. Albert Place is the focal point of many community events and activities. Designed by world-renowned Canadian architect Douglas CardinalDouglas Cardinal
Douglas Joseph Cardinal, OC is a Canadian architect.Born of Métis and Blackfoot heritage, Cardinal is famous for flowing architecture marked with smooth lines, influenced by his Aboriginal heritage as well as European Expressionist architectureIn 1953, he attended the University of British...
, its sculptural symmetry mimics the curves of the Sturgeon River that runs behind it. There are no corners; only curves. Built in 1984, St. Albert Place was designed as a "people place", housing a unique combination of civic government and cultural activity. Currently it houses the St. Albert Public Library, Musée Héritage Museum, Visual Arts Studio and Arden Theatre, as well as City Hall and associated city government services. The Musée Héritage Museum celebrates and explores the story of St. Albert through a variety of programs which seek to preserve the community's history for the future. The Museum houses both permanent and temporary exhibits and also contains a Children’s Discovery Room and gift shop. The Archives at the Museum consist of over 6,500 artifacts, 1,100 programming objects, 70 linear metres of textual record, around 3,000 pre-1948 photographs and thousands of post-1948 photographs. The Museum is operated by Arts and Heritage St. Albert.
St. Albert has a rich arts scene. St. Albert is home to a writers' guild and painters' guild and renowned bands like Social Code
Social Code
Social Code is a Canadian alternative rock group from St. Albert, Alberta, Canada.-Formation and early years :...
and Tupelo Honey
Tupelo Honey (band)
Tupelo Honey is a Canadian rock band formed in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada, in February 2003. They have played with numerous headlining acts such as Bon Jovi, Default, Theory of a Deadman, Bif Naked, Three Days Grace, Thornley, The Trews, Billy Talent, and Sam Roberts.-Formation:The members of...
hail from St. Albert. The Arden Theatre is a popular venue for many plays and musical performances.
The St. Albert public art gallery, Art Gallery of St. Albert is a focal point of St. Albert’s downtown. The gallery is housed in the historical Banque d'Hochelaga building in the heart of downtown St. Albert. The Gallery features monthly exhibitions, a variety of public programs and also runs an annual art auction in St Albert. Art Gallery of St. Albert is one of the stops on the St. Albert ArtWalk. Art Gallery of St. Albert is operated by Arts and Heritage St. Albert.
St. Albert is also notable for its Aboriginal
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
heritage. The city is home to the Michif Institute founded by former Senator Thelma Chalifoux
Thelma Chalifoux
Thelma J. Chalifoux is a former Canadian politician and teacher. Chalifoux was the first female Métis to receive the National Aboriginal Achievement Award....
, dedicated to preserving and spreading knowledge of the city's Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
background. The Musée Héritage Museum contains many Métis artifacts. Many of the street signs in the city's downtown core are also trilingual, written in 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 Cree in addition to English, as a tribute to the city's multiracial and multilinguistic origins. A current city project is to replace English-only signs with trilingual versions as the English-only versions wear out.
In 2008, NBC decided to film portions of its new horror/suspense anthology series Fear Itself
Fear Itself (TV series)
Fear Itself was a horror/suspense anthology television series shot in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with some additional shooting in the city of St. Albert and the town of Devon, Alberta. It began airing on June 5, 2008 on NBC....
in St. Albert's downtown and river valley.
St. Albert also has a St. Albert Children's Theatre group putting on two large musicals a year with many summer camps to participate in.
St. Albert is home to the St. Albert Community Band, whose motto is "Music is for Life!"
Festivals and events
The Northern Alberta International Children's Festival in St. Albert is one of the longest-running children's festivals inNorth America, attracting over 40,000 participants over 5 days, at the end of May. During the five days of the Festival, children experience sights and sounds of many different cultures while learning through the medium nearest and dearest to their hearts - by playing!
The mainstage events feature a host of international artists from Scotland, Netherlands, USA, Mexico, Cuba, New Zealand, and (of course) Canada offering performances of puppetry, music, dance, acrobatics, clowning and theatre that will amaze and delight.
The Kinsmen Rainmaker Rodeo starts with a parade that winds its way through the heart of St. Albert. After the parade, the rodeo begins, with exciting rodeo events, midway, and musical performances.
The Outdoor Farmers' Market, held in downtown St. Albert, is Western Canada’s largest outdoor farmers' market, attracting 10,000 to 15,000 people every Saturday from June to October. You can find locally grown fresh produce, hand made products and crafts and listen to the music of the buskers.
As many as 6,000 participants come to St. Albert to enjoy Rock'n August, a week-long festival held to celebrate the rumbles of chrome pipes and the rim shots of classic Rock and Roll music. Hotrodders come from kilometres around with their masterpieces to show them off and look at the creations of others as well.
Other annual events include the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival, and Mambos & Mocktails, a 3 hour jazz concert played every December at Bellerose Composite High School by the jazz band and choir.
Arts and Heritage - St. Albert also host an annual Harvest Festival at the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park.
The Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Festival, held at the Arden Theatre is one of the largest dance festivals of its kind in North America. It is hosted annually by the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company
Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company
Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company is a Ukrainian dance company based in Edmonton, Alberta and a leader of Ukrainian dance in Canada. It was founded in 1969 by Chester and Luba Kuc and named after the Cheremosh River that separates the historic regions of Bukovyna and Galicia in Ukraine...
and generally takes place during the second weekend in May.
Education
K-12 education
St. Albert is an anomaly in that the public school system has a strong Roman Catholic flavour, for historic reasons, and the separate schoolSeparate school
In Canada, separate school refers to a particular type of school that has constitutional status in three provinces and statutory status in three territories...
district is Protestant. St. Albert is one of only two communities in Alberta where this is the case (the other being the Town of St. Paul).
School districts
- Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division No. 29Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division No. 29Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools is a public school board serving St. Albert, Alberta, Canada, Morinville, Alberta, Canada and Legal, Alberta, Canada....
(Public) Notwithstanding its name, this is a public school division, although with roots in the Roman Catholic community and much evidence of ongoing connections to these roots. The school division operates 17 schools and serves approximately 7600 students. In St. Albert, GSACRD's high school students attend St. Albert Catholic High SchoolSt. Albert Catholic High SchoolSt. Albert Catholic High School is a high school in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada and is part of Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division No. 29. The school colours are yellow and blue. SACHS sports teams are the Skyhawks...
. - St. Albert Protestant Schools (Separate): Serving over 6000 students taught in a non-denominational setting. In St. Albert this is the school jurisdiction with constitutionally assured minority faith rights, and its high school students attend Bellerose Composite High SchoolBellerose Composite High SchoolBellerose Composite High School is a relatively new high school located in northwest St. Albert, Alberta, Canada.The school mascot is "Rosie the Bulldog" and students are referred to as "Bellerose Bulldogs". Bellerose Composite High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students in grades...
or Paul Kane High SchoolPaul Kane High SchoolPaul Kane High School is a high school in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada and is part of St. Albert Protestant Schools. The school colours are blue and white. PKHS sports teams are the Blues...
. Constitution Act, 1867Constitution Act, 1867The Constitution Act, 1867 , is a major part of Canada's Constitution. The Act created a federal dominion and defines much of the operation of the Government of Canada, including its federal structure, the House of Commons, the Senate, the justice system, and the taxation system...
; Alberta Act, 1905Alberta ActThe Alberta Act, effective September 1, 1905, was the act of the Parliament of Canada that created the province of Alberta. The act is similar in nature to The Saskatchewan Act, which established the province of Saskatchewan at the same time...
.
St. Albert is also home to the North Central Francophone School Board
Greater North Central Francophone Education Region No. 2
The Greater North Central Francophone Education Region No. 2, known in French as the Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord is Alberta’s largest French language school board. French language education is intended for children who are eligible under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms...
. Their school's name is "La Mission" located in the Heritage Lakes sub-division. This school jurisdiction has minority language rights assured by the Constitution Act, 1982
Constitution Act, 1982
The Constitution Act, 1982 is a part of the Constitution of Canada. The Act was introduced as part of Canada's process of "patriating" the constitution, introducing several amendments to the British North America Act, 1867, and changing the latter's name in Canada to the Constitution Act, 1867...
(section 23).
Post-secondary education
- Athabasca UniversityAthabasca UniversityAthabasca University is a Canadian university in Athabasca, Alberta. It is an accredited research institution which also offers distance education courses and programs. Courses are offered primarily in English with some French offerings. Each year, 32,000 students attend the university. It offers...
has its Centre for Innovative ManagementCentre for Innovative ManagementThe Centre for Innovative Management at Athabasca University is known as home to the world's first online Master of Business Administration program. The executive director of the centre is Dr. Alex Kondra. Their offices are in St. Albert, Alberta...
in St. Albert. - NAITNorthern Alberta Institute of TechnologyThe Northern Alberta Institute of Technology is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and provides technical training and applied education designed to meet the demands of Alberta's industries...
has an applied research centre and business incubation space in St. Albert. NovaNAIT offers 8,600 square feet (800 square meters) of applied research lab and incubation space, with seven office suites available for early stage companies and entrepreneurs. Meeting space is available for tenants, who also have access to NAIT business consultation and technical expertise.
Continuing education
The St. Albert and District Further Education Association ["Further Ed"] is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing life-long learning opportunities to citizens. Through Further Ed a wide range of courses are offered by members.The STAR Literacy Program matches volunteer tutors with adults who wish to improve their reading and writing skills.
Library services
The St. Albert Public Library (SAPL) is located in St. Albert Place in the heart of downtown and provides WiFi access.Sports and recreation
ParksThe Red Willow park trail system winds its way all through St. Albert and connects many parks, schools, and residential areas, including Lacombe Lake Park.
Facilities
In September 2006, a $42.77-million multi-purpose leisure centre, Servus Credit Union Place
Servus Credit Union Place
Servus Credit Union Place is a $43-million multipurpose leisure centre that opened on September 30, 2006 in St. Albert, Alberta...
, was built. It features a recreational aquatic centre, a kid's play area, the Troy Murray and Mark Messier hockey rinks, a 2000-seat performance rink, two soccer fields, three basketball courts, a large exercise room, and a running track among other amenities. Construction of the facility, touted as an eventual break-even operation, was approved via plebiscite during the 2004 municipal election. In December 2007, it was learned the facility would lose $2.1 million during its first year of operation, losses that were eventually subsidized by local property taxpayers to the tune of $21.28 per $100,000 of assessment in spring 2008. In 2011, the budgeted operating deficit was $860,800.
There was some controversy in 2006 when the city announced that they were renaming the Mark Messier and Troy Murray hockey rinks, and were going to offer these rights for sale. The two rinks, which together were known as Campbell Arena, were originally named after these local hockey stars shortly after the arena opened in 1992. There was such a controversy, which included an article in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
that mayor Paul Chalifoux
Paul Chalifoux
Paul Chalifoux is a politician and the former mayor of St. Albert, Alberta, He has served two terms as mayor, first one having taken place from 1998 to 2001 and the second from 2004 to 2007....
decided to repeal the decision. The Campbell twin arena has since been added onto as part of the creation of the St. Albert Multi-Purpose Leisure Centre (now Servus Credit Union Place).
There is also Fountain Park pool and Grosvenor pool, offering a variety of pools, tennis courts, racketball courts and a child play area.
Hockey
The St. Albert Steel
St. Albert Steel
The St. Albert Steel are an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in St, Albert, Alberta, Canada at Servus Place, capacity 2044....
play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League
Alberta Junior Hockey League
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
. Their home games are played at Servus Credit Union Place
Servus Credit Union Place
Servus Credit Union Place is a $43-million multipurpose leisure centre that opened on September 30, 2006 in St. Albert, Alberta...
e. In 2004, the city's previous Alberta Junior Hockey League
Alberta Junior Hockey League
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
team, the St. Albert Saints
St. Albert Saints
The St. Albert Saints were a junior ice hockey franchise based in St. Albert, Alberta, for twenty-seven seasons from 1977 to 2004. Before 1977, the team played in nearby Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Mets, and in 2004 the team again moved to Spruce Grove where they now play as the Spruce Grove...
, which had been one of the most prestigious teams in the league during its life and produced players such as Mark Messier
Mark Messier
Mark Douglas Messier is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver...
and Mike Comrie
Mike Comrie
Michael William "Mike" Comrie is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre.He is married to Hilary Duff.-Playing career:Mike Comrie was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and attended Jasper Place High School...
, moved to nearby Spruce Grove
Spruce Grove, Alberta
Spruce Grove is a city in the vicinity of Edmonton, Alberta. Like nearby Stony Plain it is surrounded by Parkland County.With a population of 24,646, Spruce Grove is the 11th largest city in Alberta. The Horizon Stage Performing Arts Centre is the local theatre, and its TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre...
.
NHL hockey star Jarome Iginla
Jarome Iginla
Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . A six-time NHL All-Star, he is the Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, and is second in assists to Al MacInnis...
, captain of the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, is originally from St. Albert. He played his entire minor hockey career in the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association, which included stints with the Bantam AAA Sabres and the Midget AAA Raiders. It was during the 1992-93 season with the Raiders that Iginla, then an under-age midget player, scored 87 points to lead the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey league in scoring. Following this season Iginla joined the Kamloops Blazers as a 16 year old.
Other hockey players that have played in St. Albert are Mark Messier
Mark Messier
Mark Douglas Messier is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver...
, Rob Brown, Geoff Sanderson
Geoff Sanderson
Geoff M. Sanderson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger, most notably for the Hartford Whalers and Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League . Sanderson is currently a scout for the New York Islanders...
, Fernando Pisani
Fernando Pisani
Fernando Antonio Pisani is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who is currently a free agent.-Playing career:...
, Paul Comrie
Paul Comrie
Paul Gordon Comrie is a former professional ice hockey forward. He played 15 National Hockey League games with the Edmonton Oilers during the 1999–2000 NHL season.-Hockey Player:...
, Mike Comrie
Mike Comrie
Michael William "Mike" Comrie is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre.He is married to Hilary Duff.-Playing career:Mike Comrie was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and attended Jasper Place High School...
, Troy Murray
Troy Murray
Troy Norman Murray is a former professional ice hockey centre who played in the NHL. He is currently the color analyst on WGN-AM broadcasts of Chicago Blackhawks hockey games.-Amateur career:...
, Stu Barnes
Stu Barnes
Stuart Barnes is an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League . He played 16 seasons at centre in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Dallas Stars....
, Brian Benning
Brian Benning
Brian Anthony Benning is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League with the St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, and Florida Panthers.-Playing career:Benning was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in...
, Steven Goertzen
Steven Goertzen
Steven Goertzen is a Canadian-born ice hockey winger for the American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons....
, René Bourque
Rene Bourque
René Gary Wayne Bourque is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . An undrafted player, Bourque was signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as a free agent in 2004 and made his NHL debut in 2005–06...
, Jamie Lundmark
Jamie Lundmark
Jamie Lundmark is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with Dinamo Riga of the KHL.-Playing career:...
, Steve Reinprecht, Todd Ewen
Todd Ewen
Todd Gordon Ewen is a retired professional ice hockey player who played for several teams in the NHL. He played right wing and was primarily known as an enforcer. He played for the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and San Jose Sharks. Todd retired with 1911 penalty min...
, Dion Phaneuf
Dion Phaneuf
Dion Phaneuf is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League...
, Ryan Kinasewich
Ryan Kinasewich
Ryan Kinasewich is a Croatian-Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with Croatian team, KHL Medveščak Zagreb, in the Austrian Hockey League.-Playing career:...
, and Drew Stafford
Drew Stafford
Drew Stafford is an American ice hockey forward, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . He started playing hockey at an early age and played for the Waukesha Warhawks in Waukesha, Wisconsin, playing with local area legends Todd Rose and Damian Carrasco-Zanini...
.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of St. Albert include:- Albert LacombeAlbert LacombeAlbert Lacombe , commonly known in Alberta simply as Father Lacombe, was a French-Canadian Roman Catholic missionary who lived among and evangelized the Cree and Blackfoot First Nations of western Canada...
(1827–1916), Roman Catholic missionary - Vital-Justin GrandinVital-Justin GrandinFather Vital-Justin Grandin was a Roman Catholic priest and bishop who served the Church in the western parts of what is now Canada both before and after Confederation.-Early life:...
(1829–1902), Roman Catholic bishop - Hec GervaisHec GervaisHector J. "The Friendly Giant" Gervais was a Canadian curler from Edmonton, Alberta. He was a two-time Brier champion and former World Champion....
(1934–1997), curling champion - Joe BenoitJoe BenoitJoseph Benoit is a former National Hockey League right wing. He played for the Montreal Canadiens during the 1940s...
(1916–1981), professional hockey player - Lois HoleLois HoleLois Elsa Hole, CM, AOE was a Canadian politician, businesswoman, academician and best-selling author. She was the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from February 10, 2000 until her death...
(1929–2005), 15th 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...
and local businesswoman - Eddie JoyalEddie JoyalEdward Abel "Jet" Joyal is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers...
(1940-), professional hockey player - David ClimenhagaDavid ClimenhagaDavid John Climenhaga is a Canadian journalist, author, teacher and union activist.Born in Victoria, British Columbia, he has lived in Victoria, Prince Rupert, B.C., Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and St. Albert, Alta...
(1952-), journalist - Grant BristowGrant BristowGrant Bristow was a mole for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service working inside the Heritage Front for six years, who was exposed by Toronto Sun reporter Bill Dunphy in August 1994...
(1958-), former CSISCanadian Security Intelligence ServiceThe Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
mole - Mark MessierMark MessierMark Douglas Messier is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver...
(1961-), professional hockey player - Phil AlainPhil AlainPhil Alain is a Canadian painter.Phil Alain began his art career at the age of 13 in St. Albert, AlbertaCanada when his artwork was featured as the full cover image of the Can West publication - The Edmonton Journal....
(1968-), painter - Carolyn MurrayCarolyn MurrayCarolyn Murray is a Canadian triathlete who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics.She was born in St. Albert, Alberta.In 2008 she finished 29th in the Olympic triathlon event.-External links:*...
(1976-), triathlete - Jason ThompsonJason Thompson (actor)Jason Craig Thompson is a Canadian actor. He joined the cast of the American daytime drama General Hospital in December 2005 as arrogant yet brilliant neurosurgeon Dr. Patrick Drake...
(1976-), actor - Jarome IginlaJarome IginlaJarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . A six-time NHL All-Star, he is the Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, and is second in assists to Al MacInnis...
(1977-), professional hockey player - Dave ThomlinsonDave ThomlinsonDavid N. Thomlinson is a retired Canadian ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League for the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins and the Los Angeles Kings...
(1966-), professional hockey player - Amanda AmmarAmanda AmmarAmanda Ammar is a Canadian cross-country skier.Ammar made her World Cup debut in 2005. Her best finish to date came in that year, when she teamed with Perianne Jones to finish 17th in the team sprint in Canmore...
, (1986-), cross-country skier - Brendan MikkelsonBrendan MikkelsonBrendan Mikkelson is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was a second round selection of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 31st overall, at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft...
, (1987-), professional hockey player - Tamara OudenaardenTamara OudenaardenTamara Oudenaarden is a Canadian long track speed skater.She was an alternate skater at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver in the women's 500 metre competition, but did not race in the event since all other qualifying Canadian skaters competed.-External links:*...
, (1987-), short track speed skater - Su-Ling GohSu-Ling GohSu-Ling Goh is a Canadian TV personality. She was host of the now cancelled entertainment show Inside Entertainment and of Technical Knockout. The show aired on CH and Global Television networks in Canada from 2000 - 2006....
, journalist
See also
- List of communities in Alberta
- List of cities in Alberta
- St. Albert TransitSt. Albert TransitSt. Albert Transit is the public transportation system in the City of St. Albert, Alberta, Canada, which is located only about northwest of downtown Edmonton. Scheduled bus service consists of local circuits within the community and express commuter routes to Edmonton...