105-585: Grande Prairie is a city in northwestern Alberta , Canada, within the southern portion of an area known as Peace River Country . It is located at the intersection of Highway 43 (part of the CANAMEX Corridor ) and Highway 40 (the Bighorn Highway), approximately 456 km (283 mi) northwest of Edmonton . The city is surrounded by the County of Grande Prairie No. 1 . Grande Prairie
210-526: A heritage interpretation village , an art gallery, and a museum. Annual events include a fall fair and rodeo. Dawson Creek is named after the watercourse of the same name, itself named after George Mercer Dawson who led a surveying team through the area in August 1879; a member of the team labelled the creek with Dawson's name. The community that formed by the creek was one of many farming communities established by European-Canadian settlers moving west through
315-768: A bank, hotel, post office, and land office, making it a district metropolis. In 1916, it became the terminus of the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway from Edmonton. The Edson Trail from Edson to Grande Prairie was opened in 1911 as a means for settlers to reach the Grande Prairie area. It was basically nothing more than a tract of clear cut bush and forest, and was thus a very difficult route for many settlers, especially during wet weather. Because of this, large scale settlement came late compared to other major farming regions further south in Canada. Grande Prairie
420-525: A campus in Dawson Creek that houses its Regional Administration and two Centres of Excellence. At Northern Lights College, students can earn a one-year certificate, a two-year diploma or associate degree, or complete upgrading courses to get their high school diploma. The cultural identity of Dawson Creek rests on its designation as Mile "0" of the Alaska Highway. The Mile "0" post, depicted in
525-518: A city in 1958. At that time, its population was approximately 7,600. The opening of the Procter & Gamble kraft pulp mill in 1972 and the discovery of the Elmworth deep basin gas field spurred an economic boom. Grande Prairie's population went from just over 12,000 in the early 1970s to over 24,000 by the time the oil boom went bust in 1981. In the five years from 2001 to 2006, Grande Prairie
630-427: A defined subdivision, counted 518 residents. Its growth spurred by the construction of the Alaska Highway, the town recorded a sevenfold increase to 3,589 residents in the 1951 census. Within five years, the population more than doubled to 7,531. New transport links with southern British Columbia and Alberta spurred continued growth into the next decade. The population peaked in 1966 at 12,392, then declined throughout
735-400: A high school certificate or equivalent, higher than the 10% provincewide rate. As of the 2016 Canadian census , nearly 16% of the city's population belong to an Aboriginal group ( Métis or First Nations ) with an additional 10% belonging to a Visible minority group (primarily Filipino and South Asian). According to the 2021 census , religious groups in Dawson Creek included: At
840-505: A long-time affiliate of CBC Television before moving to a CTV 2 affiliation in 2016, has been broadcasting from Dawson Creek since 1959. A local community group, the Cable 10 Society, operates a community television station . Dawson Creek is also served by local repeater CFSN-TV channel 8, owned locally by Dawson Creek Hypervista Communications and repeating CTV station CFRN-DT Edmonton in analogue. As of 2016, CBC Television service in
945-445: A non-official language as mother tongues, while 0.6% listed both English and French. 45.8% of residents were Christian in 2021, down from 58.5% in 2011. 20.4% were Catholic , 11.3% were Christian n.o.s, 10.0% were Protestant , and 4.1% belonged to other Christian denominations or Christian-related traditions. 49.4% were non-religious or secular, up from 39.2% in 2011. All other religions and spiritual traditions accounted for 4.8% of
1050-499: A population density of 483.3/km (1,251.8/sq mi) in 2021. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Grande Prairie had a population of 63,166 living in 23,676 of its 26,204 total private dwellings, a change of 13.5% from its 2011 population of 55,655. With a land area of 132.73 km (51.25 sq mi), it had a population density of 475.9/km (1,232.6/sq mi) in 2016. The population of
1155-684: A regional centre after the western terminus of the Northern Alberta Railways was extended there in 1932. The community grew rapidly in 1942 as the US Army used the rail terminus as a transshipment point during construction of the Alaska Highway . In the 1950s, the city was connected to the interior of British Columbia via a highway and a railway through the Rocky Mountains . Since the 1960s, growth has slowed, but
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#17327727215601260-407: A singular gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus ) was recorded close to Lake Athabasca , and multiple vagrant birds including northern cardinals ( Cardinalis cardinalis ), wandering tattlers ( Tringa incana ), and northern wheatears ( Oenanthe oenanthe) . Alberta also has reports of wild boars ( Sus scrofa ) coming into the province. Highway 43 and Highway 2 pass through the southwest of
1365-623: A sub-office in Dawson Creek. The only radio station broadcasting from the city is 890 CJDC AM , which first went on air in 1947. Originating in Chetwynd, 94.5 Peace FM (CHET) is rebroadcast in Dawson Creek on CHAD-FM 104.1. The Fort St. John stations 95.1 Energy FM (CHRX) , 101.5 The Bear FM (CKNL) , and 101.1 The Moose FM (CKFU) also reach the city. Also available locally is CBKQ-FM 89.7, repeating CBC Radio One station CBYG-FM from Prince George ; and CBUF-FM-7 93.7 FM, repeating Première Chaîne station CBUF-FM from Vancouver . CJDC-TV ,
1470-654: A village in May 1936. A small wave of refugees from the Sudetenland settled in the area in 1939 as World War II was beginning. The community exceeded 500 people in 1941. Upon entering the war, the United States decided to build a transportation corridor to connect the US mainland to Alaska. In 1942, thousands of US Army personnel, engineers, and contractors poured into the city – the terminal of rail transport – to construct
1575-647: Is a geographic region located in the Canadian province of Alberta . An informally defined cultural region, the boundaries of Northern Alberta are not fixed. Under some schemes, the region encompasses everything north of the centre of the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor , including most of the province's landmass as well as its capital, Edmonton . Other schemes place Edmonton and its surrounding farmland in Central Alberta , limiting Northern Alberta to
1680-593: Is a 41,000 sq ft (3,800 m) building with many exhibits, a large theatre, classrooms, a paleontology lab, a gift shop, and a restaurant. The museum is named after Philip J. Currie , from the University of Alberta , who has contributed to the understanding of the link between dinosaurs and birds. The Bear Creek Folk Music Festival, first held in 2016, is an outdoor music festival held in late August on Borstad Hill in Muskoseepi Park. The festival
1785-438: Is a city in northeastern British Columbia , Canada. The municipality of 24.37 square kilometres (9.41 sq mi) had a population of 12,978 in 2016. Dawson Creek derives its name from the creek of the same name that runs through the community. The creek was named after George Mercer Dawson by a member of his land survey team when they passed through the area in August 1879. Once a small farming community, Dawson Creek became
1890-549: Is a major part of Grande Prairie's economy, for large tracts of forest lie to the south in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies . International Paper (formerly Weyerhaeuser Canada ) kraft pulp mill, opened in 1972 by Procter & Gamble , is one of Grande Prairie's largest employers. Canfor runs a sawmill and lumber yard operation on the west side of the city. Norbord (formerly Ainsworth) oriented strand board plant opened in late 1995. Grande Prairie serves as
1995-572: Is also used by the University of Alberta to define eligibility for northern research grants. The region consists of aspen parkland in the south, grading to boreal forest and muskeg in the north. The southwest of the region is part of the Peace Country , an area that stretches into northeastern British Columbia consisting of fertile prairie , ranchland , and farmland along the Peace River and its tributaries. Northern Alberta
2100-587: Is based on four major industries: agriculture, retail, tourism, and oil and gas. Agriculture has historically been the most important industry to Dawson Creek, as the city is the regional transshipment point for agricultural commodities. The city is surrounded by the Agricultural Land Reserve , where the soil can support livestock and produces consistently good yields of quality grain and grass crops, such as canola, hay, oats, alfalfa, wheat, and sweet clover. The service and retail sector caters to
2205-821: Is conserved by the Caribou Mountains Wildland Park . The adjacent Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada's largest protected area. Other tourist attractions in Northern Alberta include the Fort McMurray Historical Society-Heritage Park, Historic Dunvegan , Kimiwan Birdwalk and Interpretive Centre, Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory in the Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park , Muskoseepi Park , Kakwa Wildland Provincial Park , Willmore Wilderness Park and
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#17327727215602310-769: Is controlled by Alberta Health Services . On a provincial level, Northern Alberta is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta by Members of the Legislative Assembly elected in the ridings of Athabasca-Redwater , Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock , Bonnyville-Cold Lake , Dunvegan-Central Peace , Fort McMurray-Conklin , Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo , Grande Prairie Smoky , Grande Prairie Wapiti , Lac La Biche-St. Paul , Lesser Slave Lake , and Peace River . 57°N 115°W / 57°N 115°W / 57; -115 Dawson Creek Dawson Creek
2415-741: Is crossed by the Peace River and the Athabasca River , both of which eventually convene to form the Slave River that ultimately drains into the Arctic Ocean via Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River within the Northwest Territories . Other major rivers are Wapiti , Smoky , Hay , Chinchaga , Petitot Rivers in the west, Wabasca River in the centre and Firebag , Beaver and Clearwater River in
2520-591: Is forced onto two arterial roads : 8 Street going north–south and Alaska Avenue going southeast–northwest. These two roads meet at a traffic circle where a metal statue marks the beginning of the Alaska Highway, and the Mile Zero Post is now located. Officially designated British Columbia Highway 97 , it runs north from Dawson Creek to Fort St. John and the Yukon – where it becomes Highway 1 – before reaching Alaska. The other highways emanating from Dawson Creek are
2625-477: Is funded in part by the City of Grande Prairie. In 1995, the city hosted the Canada Games . The event was televised nationally on CBC Television . Hundreds of athletes competed in the events and the city gained status and recognition as a result. The city played host to the 2010 Arctic Winter Games from March 6–13, 2010. There are a number of parks in Grande Prairie, including the large Muskoseepi Park in
2730-579: Is located in School District 59 Peace River South which maintains four elementary schools ( Tremblay , Frank Ross , Crescent Park , and Canalta elementary schools), and one high school ( Dawson Creek Secondary School ). Mountain Christian School, and Ron Pettigrew Christian School are K-12 private schools located in the city. There is also Notre Dame which is a K-7 Catholic school. Established in 1975, Northern Lights College has
2835-489: Is often made with recreational vehicles, sometimes in convoys which gather in the city. In the winter, the hospitality industry caters to workers from the oil patches. Discoveries south of Dawson Creek and higher energy prices have spurred oil and gas activities, which have in turn driven the nearby Fort St. John economy to spill over to the Dawson Creek economy. British Columbia's first wind farm, Bear Mountain Wind Park ,
2940-525: Is served by several regional newspapers. The Dawson Creek Daily News (formerly Peace River Block Daily News ) and Fort St. John's Alaska Highway News , both part of the Glacier Ventures chain of local papers, are daily available in the city. The Vault Magazine is a free alternative newspaper available in the city bi-weekly. The Northeast News , a free weekly published in Fort St. John, has
3045-424: Is surrounded by farmland to the north, east, and west. To the south lies a vast boreal forest with aspen, tamarack, lodgepole pine, jack pine, and black spruce extending well into the foothills of the Canadian Rockies south and southwest of the city. The city actually lies on the southern edge of aspen parkland , which is a transitional biome between boreal forest and prairie . The Peace River Country contains
3150-494: Is the Dawson Creek Fall Fair & Exhibition — a five-day professional rodeo, with a parade, fairgrounds, and exhibitions. City recreation facilities include two ice hockey arenas, a curling rink, an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor ice rink, and a speed skating oval. The South Peace Community Multiplex, a new facility completed in 2010, boasts a pool, indoor rodeo grounds and ice rink. Voters approved building
3255-400: Is the largest full featured exhibition facility north of Edmonton, and can cater to upwards of 10,000 people at a time. It has a restaurant (open daily) and a lounge, and hosts events such as agricultural shows, rodeos, chuckwagon races, horse racing, sportsman and RV shows. A variety of halls, convention spaces and conference facilities all with paved parking are available. The largest building,
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3360-412: Is the longest season, lasting from the end of October to the beginning of April. Summer is typically 2 to 3 months, from June through August. Spring and Autumn are usually short seasons, lasting one to two months in length. A freeze has been recorded for every month of the year including all the summer months. Precipitation peaks during July, likely due to thunderstorm activity. The economy of Dawson Creek
3465-540: Is the northernmost major farming region in North America . Land within the region is still being cleared for new farmland. Although some oil and gas drilling has been ongoing in the area since the 1950s, oil and gas exploration did not begin to occur on a large scale until the late 1970s. It was in the mid to late-1970s that the Elmworth gas field was discovered and developed, causing the city to grow rapidly until
3570-561: Is used during the spring, summer and early fall, and Mountain Standard Time during the late fall and winter. Dawson Creek has a subarctic climate ( Köppen Dfc ), bordering on a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb ) due to its short summers. Summers are generally warm and rainy with cool nights and low humidity. Winters are very cold, some of the coldest in British Columbia with moderate snowfall. Winter
3675-570: Is −13.6 °C (7.5 °F), while the average July temperature is 16.2 °C (61.2 °F). However, temperatures as low as −52.2 °C (−62 °F) and as high as 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) have been recorded; the extreme humidex and wind chill readings are 40.8 and −63.0 °C (105 and −81 °F), respectively. The city receives 445 mm (17.5 in) of precipitation annually, including 322 mm (12.7 in) of rain and 154 cm (61 in) of snow. Snowfall amounts, however, vary greatly from year to year. Being fairly close to
3780-402: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Dawson Creek had a population of 12,323 living in 5,405 of its 6,189 total private dwellings, a change of 1.2% from its 2016 population of 12,178. With a land area of 26.72 km (10.32 sq mi), it had a population density of 461.2/km (1,194.5/sq mi) in 2021. The 1941 census, the first to include Dawson Creek as
3885-659: The Alaska Highway . The highway was completed in less than a year; even after the workers involved in its construction departed, population and economic growth continued. In February 1943, a major fire and explosion in a livery barn, packed with road-building supplies including dynamite, caused serious damage to the center of town; five people were killed and 150 injured. Dawson Creek became a RCAF station during WWII, in September 1944. The station disbanded in March 1946. By 1951, Dawson Creek had more than 3,500 residents. In 1952,
3990-750: The Grande Prairie Storm , plays there), the Grande Prairie Museum , the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, 214 place, the tallest commercial building in the city, and Second Street Theatre. Grande Prairie is also home to a professional musical theatre company, "Broadway Live Broadway". The Reel Shorts Film Festival is a five-day international festival of short films that takes place at Grande Prairie Live Theatre's Second Street Theatre in early May. The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum , located fifteen minutes west of Grande Prairie,
4095-614: The John Hart Highway linked the town to the rest of the British Columbia Interior and Lower Mainland through the Rocky Mountains; a new southbound route, known locally as Tupper Highway , made the town a crossroads with neighbouring Alberta . The next year, western Canada's largest propane gas plant was built and federal government offices were established in town. In 1958, the extension of
4200-547: The Kiskatinaw River , 18 km (11 mi) west of town. Before reaching the city, the water is pumped through a settling pond, two storage ponds, and a treatment plant where it is flocculated , filtered, and chlorinated . The city also provides drinking water for Pouce Coupe and rural residents. Sewage is processed by a lagoon system east of town and released into the Pouce Coupe River. Dawson Creek
4305-690: The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia , Dawson Creek is situated in the Peace River South provincial electoral district and is represented by Mike Bernier of the British Columbia Liberal Party . Bernier has been the Member of the Legislative Assembly since 2013 provincial election and prior to that served as mayor of Dawson Creek between 2008 and 2013. His predecessor, Blair Lekstrom, also served as mayor of Dawson Creek between 1996 and 2001 before being elected as
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4410-430: The Northern Alberta Railways built its western terminus 3 km (2 mi) from Dawson Creek. The golden spike was driven on December 29, 1930, and the first passenger train arrived on January 15, 1931. The arrival of the railway and the construction of grain elevators attracted more settlers and business to the settlement. The need to provide services for the rapidly growing community led Dawson Creek to incorporate as
4515-1171: The Oil Sands Discovery Centre. Northern Alberta contains several diamond bearing diatremes associated with kimberlite fields, including the Buffalo Head Hills and Birch Mountains kimberlite fields which in turn form the Northern Alberta kimberlite province . Animals of Northern Alberta include the Mackenzie Valley gray wolf ( Canis lupus occidentalis ), British Columbian red fox ( Vulpes vulpes abietorum ), fishers ( Pekania pennanti ), American black bear ( Ursus americanus ), northwestern moose ( Alces alces anderson i), white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), wood bison ( Bison bison athabascae ), groundhogs ( Marmota monax canadensis ), northern coyotes ( Canis latrans incolatus ), wolverines ( Gulo gulo ), and mountain lions ( Puma concolor ). Multiple elusive and out-of-range animals have been reported in this region, including
4620-589: The Pacific Great Eastern Railway to the Peace from Prince George was completed, and the village was re-incorporated as a city. Between 1951 and 1961, the population of Dawson Creek more than tripled. The RCAF center reemerged on October 1, 1956, and was declared functional in 1958. It was disbanded a final time in March 1964. Growth slowed in the 1960s, with the population reaching its all-time high in 1966, but area population increased. In
4725-697: The Peace River Country . When the Canadian government began issuing homestead grants to settlers under the Dominion Lands Act in 1912, the pace of migration increased. With the opening of a few stores and hotels in 1919 and the incorporation of the Dawson Creek Co-operative Union on May 28, 1921, Dawson Creek became a dominant business centre in the area. After much speculation by land owners and investors,
4830-544: The boreal forests of this region. As of 2023, the region had a population of approximately 374,572. Various definitions exist of Northern Alberta's boundaries. The definition used by the Northern Alberta Development Council, an agency of the provincial government, includes the communities of Whitecourt , Athabasca , Saddle Lake , St. Paul , and Cold Lake , while excluding Hinton , Edson , Mayerthorpe , and Westlock . This definition
4935-399: The "Swan City". The dinosaur has also emerged as an unofficial symbol of the city due to paleontology discoveries in the areas north and west of Grande Prairie. The Grande Prairie area was historically known as Buffalo Plains, after the buffalo who would traverse the large prairie which lies to the north, east, and west of it. Émile Grouard , a Roman Catholic Priest, was the first to refer to
5040-589: The 1920s caused a temporary depopulation of Grande Prairie. But the population rebounded afterwards by the 1930s, by which time the population had reached 1,464. Settlement continued unabated even into the 1930s during the Dust Bowl era because the Peace Region was able to escape the severe drought conditions that plagued the Canadian Prairies further south at the time. The Second World War saw
5145-490: The 1970s, rising again briefly during the construction of the nearby town of Tumbler Ridge in the early 1980s. Dawson Creek's population has remained relatively stable since then. Between 2005 and 2009, the population rose from 10,869 to 11,514, per provincial estimates. According to the 2016 Canadian census , there was an average household size of 2.3 persons, similar to the provincial average of 2.4 persons. One-person households made up 32% of total households, slightly above
5250-483: The 1970s, the provincial government moved its regional offices from Pouce Coupe to the city, Northern Lights College opened a Dawson Creek campus, and the Dawson Creek Mall was constructed. Several modern grain elevators were built, and the town's five wooden grain elevators, nicknamed "Elevator Row", were taken out of service. Only one of the historic elevators remains, converted to an art gallery. Since
5355-464: The 1970s, with the nearby town of Fort St. John attracting much of the area's industrial development and Grande Prairie becoming a commercial hub, the town's population and economy have not significantly increased. Since 1992, the city has undergone several boundary expansions. One expansion incorporated undeveloped land in the southeast for an industrial park and a Louisiana-Pacific Canada veneer factory. The city extended sewer and water lines to
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#17327727215605460-467: The 29% average provincewide, leaving the average family size to be 2.9 persons. The median age decreased from 38.8 years in 2001 to 34.4 in 2016 with 53% of those over 15 years of age being married (or common law ), lower than the 58% provincial average. Only 46% of residents over 15 years old had a post-secondary certificate (including degree, diploma and trades certificate), compared to the provincewide rate of 55%. Among those aged 25–64, 17% did not have
5565-607: The BC Liberal Party and New Democratic Party candidates. Federally, Dawson Creek is in the Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies riding, represented in the House of Commons of Canada by Conservative Party Member of Parliament Bob Zimmer . Before Zimmer, who was elected in May 2011, the riding was represented by Jay Hill since 1993 . The riding was represented by Frank Oberle of
5670-644: The Bear Creek Golf Club, and the Grande Prairie Golf and Country Club. A fourth golf course, Grovedale Golf Course, is also located approximately 20 km (12 mi) to the southwest of the city. Early in 2017, a new nine hole course, The Bear Paw Golf Course , with a par level of 3 opened up in the South Bear Creek Recreation Area. Grande Prairie has three 18-hole disc golf courses. Thrill Hill in
5775-546: The Bear Creek valley which winds its way throughout the city. Muskoseepi Park has excellent walking and bike trails extending nearly the entire length of Bear Creek, from the northwest to the southeast of the city. The park also contains the Ernie Radbourne Pavilion, the outdoor Bear Creek Swimming Pool and the outdoor Muskoseepi Park Pond which converts into a skating rink in the winter. Crystal Lake in
5880-738: The City of Grande Prairie according to its 2015 municipal census was 68,556, a change of 36.5% from its 2007 municipal census population of 50,227. In the 2021 census, 15.9% of residents were visible minorities, while 11.7% were Indigenous and the remaining 72.4% were white/European. The largest visible minority groups were Filipino (6.9%), South Asian (2.9%), Black (2.2%), Latin American (0.8%), Chinese (0.8%) and Arab (0.6%). As of 2021, 83.8% of residents claimed English as their first language. Other common mother tongues were Tagalog (3.4%), French (2.1%), Punjabi (0.8%), Spanish (0.8%), and German (0.6%) . 2.0% listed both English and
5985-490: The Cordillera Climatic Region, it lies at the southern end of a subarctic climate ( Köppen Dfc ). In the summer, the city is often dusty and arid; temperatures during the day are warm, but cool at night, typically falling below 10 °C (50 °F). Highs reaching 30 °C (86 °F) occur only twice per year on average. Heavy rain showers are sporadic, lasting only a few minutes. In the winter,
6090-662: The Entrec Centre has 105,000 sq ft (9,800 m) of space, with a 46,000 sq ft (4,300 m) main hall, and has hosted many concerts and trade shows in the past. Evergreen Park also has a 76 spot RV and Marine Campground which is open in the summer from May to October, as well as an archery centre, an equestrian facility, and 12 baseball diamonds, which are home to the Grande Prairie Reds Baseball Club. Grande Prairie has three 18-hole golf courses, The Dunes Golf and Winter Club,
6195-493: The GP Curling Club. Summer-long music festivals have been organized by community-minded individuals and charitable organizations. Grande Prairie has a wide range of local music genres, including country (such as Tenille Townes , Brad Sims, and more); reggae (Tasman Jude); metal (Arrival of Autumn); folk; rock, and more Cultural venues include Bonnetts Energy Centre (a concert hall and hockey rink—the local AJHL team,
6300-489: The John Hart Highway, also 97 (southwest to Chetwynd and Prince George ), Highway 2 (south to Grande Prairie and southern Alberta), and Highway 49 (east to Peace River and northern Alberta). A road with few intersections along the southern and western borders of the city, incorporating a stretch of Highway 2, is designated as a "dangerous goods route" for heavy trucks so that they can avoid traveling through
6405-797: The MLA. Before Bernier and Lekstrom, Peace River South was represented by Dawson Creek resident Jack Weisgerber . Weisgerber was first elected in 1986 as a member of the Social Credit Party and served as the province's Minister of Native Affairs for three years. While the Social Credit Party lost power in 1991 , Weisgerber was re-elected and served as interim party leader. He joined the Reform Party of British Columbia in 1994 and won re-election in 1996 as party leader, even though Dawson Creek polls put him in third place behind
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#17327727215606510-415: The Multiplex in a 2004 referendum which projected its cost at C$ 21.6 million. The project became controversial when construction began and the cost projection was raised to $ 35 million. The facility is located close to the city's exhibition grounds, away from residential uses. It features an indoor rodeo arena and a 4,000-seat convention centre/ice arena with skyboxes. Nearby Bear Mountain, located south of
6615-416: The North West Company in 1821), and independent fur traders, centering around Dunvegan, a Hudson's Bay Company outpost called La Grande Prairie was established by George Kennedy. The post was established South of Dunvegan and 21 km (13 mi) north west of the present day city of Grande Prairie, south east of La Glace Lake, and west of what is now the Town of Sexsmith (the 1896 version of this building
6720-570: The Northern Extreme water ramp facility. It is also active in luge as a naturally refrigerated venue, hosting the FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships in 2007 . Cross-country skiing is also common during the winter. The Wapiti Nordic Ski Club is one of Canada's premier cross country skiing and biathlon facilities, and is just south of the city. There are over 35 km (22 mi) of both classical and skate skiing trails, as well as 4.5 km (2.8 mi) of nightly lit trails. There are also snowshoe trails as well as dog friendly trails. In
6825-411: The Peace Region is noted for never having experienced truly severe drought conditions more typical of Southern Alberta and neighbouring Saskatchewan . Tornadoes are rare but not unheard of in the Peace Region. A tornado struck the downtown area and east side of Grande Prairie on July 8, 2004. Although the tornado was considered a very weak one (F0-F1 on the Fujita scale) and the weather was not severe at
6930-435: The Swanavon neighbourhood, South Bear Creek, and Coop Community Course at Evergreen Park. Downhill skiing is popular in Grande Prairie, which has a local ski hill called Nitehawk and is located south of the city on the south bank of the Wapiti River. Aside from skiing, Nitehawk also has the only North American natural luge track certified for international events, and over the summer months freestyle ski jumpers practice using
7035-426: The US and Canadian military establish Grande Prairie as a part of the Northwest Staging Route and for the construction of the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek to Alaska . Although Dawson Creek was chosen as the major starting point of the construction of the Alaska Highway , Grande Prairie was a major stopover point for military aircraft during the war, and benefited economically from this. Although Grande Prairie
7140-402: The area as La Grande Prairie. In the 18th century, the prairie was occupied by bands of the Dane-zaa (Beaver) peoples, who began, in the early 19th century, trading with the North West Company at Dunvegan . The earliest recorded reference to the prairie was by Hudson Bay trader Samuel Black in 1824. In 1880, as a result of the fur trade war between the Hudson Bay Company (which merged with
7245-639: The area is maintained only through pay television means. The City of Dawson Creek has a council-manager form of municipal government. A six-member council, along with one mayor, is elected at-large every four years. Current mayor Darcy Dober assumed the position following an election win over Council member Shaely Wilber in October 2022. Previous mayors of the city have included Dale Bumstead (2013–2023), Mike Bernier (2008–2013), Calvin Kruk (2005–08), Wayne Dahlen (2001–05), Blair Lekstrom (1997–2001), Bill Kusk (1994–96) and Robert Trail (1967–75, 1982–93). The city government administers infrastructure and services such as
7350-417: The area population has increased. Dawson Creek is located in the dry and windy prairie land of the Peace River Country . As the seat of the Peace River Regional District and a service centre for the rural areas south of the Peace River , the city has been called the "Capital of the Peace". It is also known as the "Mile 0 City", referring to its location at the southern end of the Alaska Highway. It also has
7455-417: The art gallery, displays artifacts and exhibits associated with the construction of the NAR railway and the Alaska Highway. Other parks in Dawson Creek include the Mile Zero Rotary Park and the Walter Wright Pioneer Village. Annual events in the city include the Dawson Creek Art Gallery auction, the Dawson Creek Spring Rodeo, and the Peace Country Blue Grass Festival. The largest event, held annually since 1953,
7560-456: The city can get bitterly cold and dry, with 17 to 18 days of −30 °C (−22 °F) lows per year. It is subject to very strong winds year round. Unlike most of the province , the city and its region use Mountain Standard Time ( UTC−07:00 ) all year round, since the area already has long daylight hours in the summer and short daylight hours in the winter. In other words, residents of the region never change their clocks – Pacific Daylight Time
7665-576: The city flag, was located the traffic circle a few blocks to the northeast, but has been relocated to in the historic downtown area, one block south of the Northern Alberta Railways Park. The four- acre (1.6 ha ), mostly paved NAR Park is the gathering point for travelers. The park includes the Dawson Creek Art Gallery, which exhibits work by local artists and craftsmen. The Station Museum, connected to
7770-592: The city is on soil that has moderate limitations, due to an adverse climate, that restrict the range of crops or require moderate conservation practices. The land is flat, but slopes upwards in the northeastern corner elevating a residential area over the rest of the city. The city is in the British Columbia Peace Lowland ecosection of the Canadian Boreal Plains ecozone on the continental Interior Platform . Located in
7875-484: The city's inhabitants, smaller nearby towns, and rural communities. However, there is significant retail leakage to Grande Prairie, the closest major Alberta city, where there is no provincial tax on retail purchases, while British Columbia charges 7%. In 2006, the BC government rejected a proposal to lower the sales tax in the province's border communities to 4%. The problem of leakage has been exacerbated in recent years by
7980-510: The city, provides over 20 km (12 mi) of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails, as well as areas for downhill skiing and about 500 km (300 mi) of trails for snowmobiles, mountain bikes, and all-terrain vehicles. The city was once home to a North American Hockey League team, the Dawson Creek Rage , beginning in the 2010–11 season until it ceased operations in 2012 due to financial difficulties. Dawson Creek
8085-585: The city. However, Highway 49 has no direct access to such a ring road, so many trucks bound to or from the east use the city arterials, slowing traffic and damaging roads. Dawson Creek is a regional node for air and rail services. The Dawson Creek Airport , which services commercial flights by Central Mountain Air , was built in 1963; its 1,524 m (5,000 ft) runway was paved in 1966. There are larger airports in Fort St. John and Grande Prairie that maintain more comprehensive flight schedules. Passenger rail service
8190-483: The construction of a large pulp mill south of the city in the early 1970s. The construction and paving of Highway 43 (originally sections of Highways 2, 34, and 43 from the BC border to the Yellowhead Highway just west of Edmonton) in 1956 cut down on the travel time by road significantly, further enhancing Grande Prairie's accessibility and economic status. The town of Grande Prairie was incorporated as
8295-508: The daytime, but nights can be cool despite the long summer days typical for its latitude. Hot days over 30 °C (86 °F) are rare, occurring on average only two to three days a year, which is not unexpected this far north. Winter conditions can vary tremendously from year to year. Winters have been known to be mild enough to produce "brown Christmas" conditions, where little or no snow may fall until after Christmas due to unusually mild early winter conditions. The average January temperature
8400-483: The east. Alberta's two largest waterbodies, Lake Athabasca and Lake Claire are located in the wetlands of northeastern Alberta , forming the Peace-Athabasca Delta , that drains through the Slave River towards the Arctic Ocean . The Caribou Mountains are an elevated plateau in the relatively flat Albertan north which provide core habitat for an endangered woodland caribou herd. This area
8505-725: The economic and transportation hub for a trading area of nearly 290,000 people. Grande Prairie is also on the CANAMEX trade route linking Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The Grande Prairie provincial district was formed in 1930. Beginning in 1993 the Grande Prairie-Wapiti and Grande Prairie-Smoky districts were formed. In 2017 the Grande Prairie-Smoky electoral district was abolished. Live music can be found in several downtown bars and intermittently at all-ages locations such as Tito's Restaurant and
8610-615: The foot of Bear Mountain ridge, the city developed around the Dawson Creek watercourse which flows eastward into the Pouce Coupe River . The city is located on the Pouce Coupe Prairie in the southwestern part of the Peace River Country , 72 km (44.7 mi) southeast of Fort St. John, and 134 km (83.3 mi) northwest of Grande Prairie, Alberta. According to the Canada Land Inventory ,
8715-694: The foothills of the Canadian Rockies , it can get quite windy in Grande Prairie, especially in the spring and fall. Chinooks may occur in and bring winter thaws to the Grande Prairie area. Grande Prairie has 314 days with measureable sunshine per year on average, and just above 2,200 hours of bright sunshine or about 46.1% of possible sunshine, ranging from a low of 31.2% in November to a high of 59.1% in July. Summers can bring thunderstorms, although they are not as frequent nor as severe as those further south in Central Alberta . Rainfall can vary from year to year, but
8820-620: The foothills to the south and southwest. On clear days, some peaks in the Rockies are visible to the southwest from Grande Prairie. Grande Prairie has a northern continental climate typical of northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia , classified as humid continental ( Dfb ), bordering closely on a subarctic climate ( Dfc ) with old data under the Köppen climate classification . Winters are generally very cold with some mild spells. Summers are often fairly cool to pleasantly warm in
8925-617: The installation of low-voltage street lights and solar-powered hot water heaters, the city was awarded the Federation of Canadian Municipalities ' 2007 Sustainable Community Award. City council appoints one person, usually the mayor, to serve as a board director with the Peace River Regional District. Concurrent with municipal elections, residents also elect two school board trustees to School District 59 which consists of seven trustees. For representation in
9030-477: The introduction of large-format retail stores into the small city. Residents still cross the border for high-priced items but now also purchase medium- and low-priced items from foreign-owned large-format chain stores. Dawson Creek has a large tourism industry as Mile "0" of the Alaska Highway. Thousands of people drive on the highway every year, starting in Dawson Creek and ending in Fairbanks, Alaska . The trek
9135-414: The local economy today. A variety of crops such as barley , wheat , canola , and oats are grown in the area. Livestock such as cattle and buffalo (bison) are also raised in the area. Despite being north of the 55th parallel , the climate is mild enough to allow for farming on a large scale to prosper. Longer daylight hours during the summer at this latitude aid in crop production. The Peace Country
9240-417: The location; however, the area was not developed and with the factory only half-built, L-P Canada abandoned its plans. A business making manufactured homes bought the factory and completed its development in 2005. Another expansion incorporated the existing oriented strand board factory in the northwest corner of the city, while further incorporations have included undeveloped land to the south and north. In
9345-421: The northeast part of the city also has parkland, preserved wetlands (great for birdwatching), and walking/bike paths around its entire circumference. Nestled within spruce and pine trees, on the south east side of the city, just a couple of minutes from downtown, is Evergreen Park. The park and facilities are home to the annual Grande Prairie Stompede event, which draws upwards of 30,000 people annually. The park
9450-506: The northern half of the province, where forestry , oil, and gas are the dominant industries. Its primary industry is oil and gas , with large heavy oil reserves being exploited at the Athabasca oil sands and Wabasca area in the east of the region. Natural gas is extracted in Peace region and Chinchaga - Rainbow areas in the west, and forestry and logging are also developed in
9555-589: The northernmost area of aspen parkland in North America. Bear Creek goes through the city from the northwest to the southeast and is a tributary of the Wapiti River to the south. The Bear Creek Reservoir is the small body of water by Northwestern Polytechnic in the northwest part of the city, and is ringed by marshy wetland. The terrain immediately surrounding Grande Prairie is largely flat to gently rolling, but rises gradually to hilly terrain closer to
9660-468: The oil boom ended in 1981. Today Grande Prairie's location atop both the Montney and Duvernay geological formations have seen local extraction activities focused on natural-gas condensate and shale gas . As a result of this focus the region has maintained relatively high levels of activity when compared to areas where conventional resources, shallow gas or heavy oil are the primary resources. Forestry
9765-516: The population, up from 2.3% in 2011. The largest non-Christian religions were Islam (1.7%), Hinduism (1.1%) and Sikhism (0.8%). Until 2015, Grande Prairie topped the list for the national average for the Crime Severity Index, but by 2016 a report published by Maclean's , stated that the city had dropped to 12th place. The Crime Severity Index was 150 per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of 70.96. Grande Prairie
9870-406: The provision of drinking water, sewage and garbage collection, fire protection, recreational facilities (including parks, trails and arenas), roadway maintenance, snow removal, library services, street lighting, public transportation, and the airport. The city also partially funds a 22-officer Royal Canadian Mounted Police municipal detachment. For creating its Community Energy Plan, which involved
9975-579: The region, this being the end of the CANAMEX corridor. Other important routes are the Mackenzie Highway and Bicentennial Highway in the northwest, the Northern Woods and Water Route in the southeast and Highway 63 in the east. Grande Prairie Airport , Peace River Airport , Fort Vermilion (Wop May Memorial) International Airport and Fort McMurray Airport are regional air transportation hubs. Northern Alberta's health region
10080-576: The summer, the trails are used for hiking, mountain biking, and running. The foothills south of Grande Prairie and around Grande Cache are visited year-round for hiking in the summer and for snowmobiling and other winter sports in the winter. Kakwa Wildland Park on the Alberta-BC border, about 180 km (110 mi) south of the city, is a mountainous natural area and is known for the Kakwa Falls. Northern Alberta Northern Alberta
10185-415: The time, it was still strong enough to damage houses and flip vehicles. There were no casualties or deaths. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , the City of Grande Prairie had a population of 64,141 living in 24,816 of its 27,551 total private dwellings, a change of 1.5% from its 2016 population of 63,166. With a land area of 132.71 km (51.24 sq mi), it had
10290-488: Was 13th on the Violent Crime Severity Index with 139 per 100,000 people versus a 75.25 average for all municipalities included in the report. Grande Prairie possesses a diversified economy. Major industries include oil and gas, agriculture, forestry, and food services. Agriculture was the first economic mainstay of Grande Prairie since settlement began in the early 20th century. It remains part of
10395-438: Was available in Dawson Creek between 1931 and 1974. Service began when the Northern Alberta Railways (NAR) built its northwest terminus in the town and was extended in 1958 to Vancouver with a rail line through the Rocky Mountains. Passenger rail service ended as commodity shipments of grains, oil and gas by-products, and forestry products became more important in the resource-based economy. The city draws its water supply from
10500-400: Was constructed southwest of the city in 2009. Dawson Creek's road network was laid out in the mid-20th century as the town rapidly expanded. The city maintains 88 km (55 mi) of paved and 11 km (7 mi) of unpaved roads. The primary roads generally follow a grid pattern around large blocks of land. Because the grid contains many internal intersections with stop signs, traffic
10605-463: Was incorporated as a village by the Province of Alberta in 1914, but it was not until the arrival of the railway in 1916 that farmland quickly expanded as waves of settlers came into the Peace region. The arrival of the railway and the increased settlement in the area drove up Grande Prairie's population past the 1,000 mark, allowing it to incorporate as a town on March 27, 1919. A local recession in
10710-610: Was moved and restored and now stands near the Grande Prairie Museum). In the late 19th century, the prairie was settled by Cree and Iroquois from around Jasper and Lac Ste. Anne . When 17 townships were surveyed for homesteading in 1909, a land rush soon followed, with many settlers arriving over the Edson Trail. In 1910, the Grande Prairie Townsite was sub-divided. By 1912, it included
10815-421: Was one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, growing from 37,000 to 47,000 people. After 2006, and with another recession, the population decreased slightly, followed by a slow increase to just over 69,000 by 2018. Grande Prairie is located just north of the 55th parallel north , and is 465 km (289 mi) northwest of Edmonton, lying at an elevation of 669 m (2,195 ft) above sea level. The city
10920-470: Was the seventh-largest city in Alberta in 2016, with a population of 63,166, and was one of Canada's fastest growing cities between 2001 and 2006, and Canada's northernmost city with more than 50,000 people. The city has adopted the trumpeter swan as its official symbol due to its proximity to the bird's migration route and its summer nesting grounds. For that reason, Grande Prairie is sometimes nicknamed
11025-573: Was well located in the southern edge of the Peace Country, it was competing with the towns of Peace River and Dawson Creek for the title of the most important centre of commerce and agriculture in the region until the late 1950s, when its population growth began to outstrip these towns as oil and natural gas exploration was underway in the Peace Region, especially since the first major discovery of oil further south in Leduc near Edmonton in 1947 and
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