Wheatland County, Alberta
Wheatland County is a municipal district in south-central Alberta, Canada, east of Calgary. Located in Census Division No. 5, its municipal office is located east of the Town of Strathmore on Highway 1.
Wheatland County | |
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Municipal district | |
Welcome sign | |
Location within Alberta | |
Country | |
Province | |
Region | Southern Alberta |
Census division | No. 5 |
Office location | 242006 Range Road 243 |
Established | 1955 |
Incorporated | 1961 (County) |
Government | |
• Reeve | Amber Link |
• Governing body |
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• Interim CAO | Brian Henderson |
• MP | Martin Shields (Bow River) |
• MLA | |
Area (2016)[2] | |
• Land | 4,545.92 km2 (1,755.19 sq mi) |
Population (2016)[2] | |
• Total | 8,788 |
• Density | 1.9/km2 (5/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
Website | wheatlandcounty.ca |
History
On January 1, 1955, Improvement District No. 41, part of Improvement District No. 42, part of the Municipal Districts of Bow Valley No. 40, Serviceberry No. 43, and Kneehill No. 48, were merged into one new municipal district to be known as the Municipal District of Wheatland No. 40 for the first time.
The Municipal District of Wheatland No. 40 and the Wheatland School Division No. 40 joined together on January 1, 1961, and became known as the County of Wheatland No. 16.
On March 6, 1996, the name was changed from the County of Wheatland No. 16 to the name currently used, Wheatland County.
Education
Wheatland County is part of the Golden Hills School Division.
There are two schools within Wheatland County boundaries: the Carseland School (elementary), and the Wheatland Crossing School (K-12).
Carseland School is one of the oldest schools in the region. It was originally built in 1930 then rebuilt in 1993. It serves the hamlet of approximately 700 people as well as the surrounding rural area.
The Wheatland Crossing School is located in rural Wheatland County and serves students living in Rockyford, Rosebud, Standard, Cluny, Gleichen, Hussar, and east Wheatland. The official grand opening for Wheatland Crossing took place on September 26, 2017.
Located in Strathmore, Alberta, there are additional schools belonging to the Golden Hills School Division. There are three elementary schools (Wheatland, Westmount, and Brentwood), one junior high school (Crowther Memorial Junior High School), and one high school (Strathmore High School). In 2018, a new regional K-12 school (George Freeman) opened and will be serving Strathmore and rural Wheatland County students.
Christ the Redeemer Catholic School Division also provides education services to the region with a K-6 School (Sacred Heart Academy) and grade 7 to 12 school (Holy Cross Collegiate) in Strathmore.
In September 2008, Trinity Christian Academy opened at the former Covenant Bible College property in Strathmore. Trinity Christian is a Christian school providing Kindergarten through grade 9 and is publicly funded.
Recreation
After the sod turning in 2016, the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre opened its doors to the public on February 23, 2019. The unique partnership between Golden Hills School Division #75, the Town of Strathmore, and Wheatland County made the project possible. The facility will serve as a regional recreational centre for visitors and residents of Strathmore and Wheatland County. The facility offers an indoor space to play soccer, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, badminton, pickleball, and walking/running on the indoor track.
Demographics
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wheatland County recorded a population of 8,788 living in 2,836 of its 3,117 total private dwellings, a 6.1% change from its 2011 population of 8,285. With a land area of 4,545.92 km2 (1,755.19 sq mi), it had a population density of 1.9/km2 (5.0/sq mi) in 2016.[2]
In the 2011 Census, Wheatland County had a population of 8,285 living in 2,659 of its 2,941 total dwellings, a 2.2% change from its 2006 adjusted population of 8,109. With a land area of 4,539.26 km2 (1,752.62 sq mi), it had a population density of 1.8/km2 (4.7/sq mi) in 2011.[3]
Communities and localities
The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Wheatland County:[4]
The following hamlets are located within Wheatland County:[4]
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The following localities are located within Wheatland County:[5]
The following Hutterite Colonies are located within Wheatland County:
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References
- "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. September 22, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
- "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
- "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
- "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
- "Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) 2006, Economic Regions: 4805012 - Wheatland County, geographical codes and localities, 2006". Statistics Canada. 2010-03-05. Retrieved 2012-08-12.