Drumheller, Alberta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Town of Drumheller | |
| The view out of "World's Largest Dinosaur" across Drumheller | |
| Location of Drumheller in Alberta | |
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada |
| Province | Image:Flag of Alberta.svg Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 5 |
| County | Starland |
| Incorporated | 1930 (city) |
| Re-Incorporated | 1997 (town) |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Bryce Nimmo |
| - Governing body | Drumheller Town Council |
| - MP | Kevin Sorenson (Crowfoot) |
| - MLA | Jack Hayden (Drumheller-Stettler) |
| Area [1] | |
| - Total | 110.93 km² (42.8 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 670 m (2,198 ft) |
| Population (2006)[1] | |
| - Total | 7,932 |
| - Density | 73.5/km² (190.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| - Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| Postal code span | T0J |
| Area code(s) | +1-403 |
| Website: Official municipal site | |
Drumheller is a town (formerly a city) on the Red Deer River in the Badlands of east-central Alberta, Canada. It is located 110 kilometres (68 mi) northeast of Calgary.
Contents |
[edit] Demographics
According to the Canada 2001 Census and Canada 2006 Census:
| Population: | 7,932 (2006)[1] |
| Land area: | 107.93 square kilometres (41.67 sq mi) (2001 and 2006) |
| Population density: | 73.5 people/km² (190.4/sq mi) (2006)[1] |
| Median age: | 39.7 (males: 37.0, females: 43.1) (2006)[1] |
| Total private dwellings: | 3,244 (2006)[1] |
| Mean household income: | $43,885 (2001)[2][3] |
[edit] History
During the peak of the coal era (1930s) Drumheller's population exploded to more than 30,000 and it became a city in 1930. Drumheller was Western Canada's largest coal producer; now it contributes to a vibrant energy sector and can boast Alberta's second largest natural gas deposit, the West Drumheller Field. To benefit from Provincial and Federal grants the city dropped its city charter and once again became a town in 1997, when it was ammalgamated with the Municipal District of Badlands.[4] At 111 square kilometres (43 sq mi), Drumheller is the largest town in Alberta in area and since the 1997 amalgamation with Badlands the town also includes the formerly separate communities of Nacmine, Wayne, Rosedale, Cambria ,East Coulee, Lehigh and Aerial where Midland, Newcastle and North Drumheller were orignally a part of the City of Drumheller. In short, 14 old residential mining communities (now suburbs or districts) make up the current Town of Drumheller. The official provincial road map only began recognizing this fact with its 2006 edition. The valley ranges from 2 kilometres (1 mi) across to 28 kilometres (17 mi) in length.
Drumheller has been the filming location for more than 50 commercials, music videos and cinematic productions including Shanghai Noon, Unforgiven, Knockaround Guys and Rat Race.
[edit] Attractions
South of the traffic bridge on Highway 9 north and south one can find the World's Largest Dinosaur, a 26.2 metres (86 ft) high Tyrannosaurus rex that can be entered for a view of the Badlands, including the adjacent 23 metre (75 ft) water fountain, again one of the largest in Canada.
Tourist attractions also include the Star Mine Suspension Bridge, Atlas Coal Mine (the last free standing coal tipple in Canada), Drumheller Valley Ski Hill, Canadian Badlands Passion Play, Horseshoe Canyon, Water Spray Park, Aquaplex with indoor and outdoor pools, Horse Thief Canyon, hoodoos, Midland Provincial Park, Rosedeer Hotel in Wayne, 27 kilometres (17 mi) of constructed pathways, Bleriot Ferry, East Coulee School Museum, Homestead Museum, Reptile World (the largest display of reptiles in Western Canada) and Little Church which is capable of seating six, and yes only six.
[edit] Royal Tyrrell Museum
The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is a museum that hosts Canada's largest collection of dinosaur fossils. It boasts 500,000 visitors a year, the largest of all provincial museum attractions. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is located in the northwest quadrant of the Town of Drumheller, in Midland Provincial Park.
[edit] Media
Drumheller is within range of the radio and television stations in Calgary and Medicine Hat. It has no television stations of its own, but it does have a radio station of its own, as well as rebroadcast transmitters:
- AM 910 - CKDQ "Q91" (country) (Transmitter in Strathmore)
- FM 91.3: CKUA (public broadcasting)
- FM 94.5: CHTR (tourism/community)
Newspaper covering Drumheller include the free weekly newspaper Drumheller Valley Times[5] and the weekly Drumheller Mail.[6]
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e f 2006 Community Profiles: Drumheller, Alberta. Statistics Canada (March 13, 2007).
- ^ 2001 Community Profiles: Drumheller, Alberta. Statistics Canada (July 27, 2002). Last modified November 30, 2005. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 93F0053XIE
- ^ Statistics Canada will not release household income data from the 2006 Census until May 1 2008. See this page.
- ^ Alberta Municipal Affairs - Detailed town profiles
- ^ The Drumheller Valley Times
- ^ The Drumheller Mail
[edit] External links
- Official municipal site
- Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology
- Drumheller Public Library
- Virtually Drumheller Guide for Drumheller
eo:Drumheller (Alberto) pt:Drumheller
