Camrose, Alberta

Welcome to Camrose, a charming city in central Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by Camrose County. Located along Highway 13, it had its beginnings as a railroad hub. The area around Camrose was first settled by Europeans around 1900. At that time the nearby settlement of Wetaskiwin was a major centre for pioneers; typically, it was the last stopping-off point before they set out in search of nearby land. The site that was to be Camrose was about a day’s journey from Wetaskiwin along the railroad, which made it a popular place on the route of pioneers. Soon businessmen and other settlers arrived to stay. The settlers came primarily from Scandinavian countries, such as Norway and Sweden, and many settlers also came from the United States. At that time the settlement was known as the hamlet of Stoney Creek. In 1904, Stoney Creek began receiving mail service, its first businesses began to open, and its first Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer (Constable Blue Smith) arrived. On May 4, 1905, the community was incorporated as the Village of Camrose. There is no factual evidence about the reason for the choice of the name Camrose, but it is generally thought that it was named after the Village of Camrose in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. On December 11, 1906, Camrose was incorporated as a town. Camrose became a bit of a railroad hub, sitting on railways that connected to Edmonton and Calgary, as well as many of the smaller towns in central Alberta, such as Vegreville, Stettler, Drumheller, and Wetaskiwin. By 1914, twelve passenger trains came through Camrose daily. In those days the growth of Camrose was strongly linked with the railway. Today, Camrose is stretching out along Highway 13, and is becoming a major stop for travelers along that road. With the advent of the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, it has become even more oriented towards tourism and hospitality. Camrose is situated about 90 km (56 mi) from Edmonton, the capital of Alberta. Highway 13 runs through its center. Camrose is located in a transitory region of Alberta, between prairie and boreal forest, known as aspen parkland. It is a major economic center for many small farming communities in the surrounding area. The Stoney Creek runs through the city and flows into the Battle River south of the city. Camrose has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) and falls into the NRC Plant Hardiness Zone 3b. Summers are warm with moderate rainfall while winters can be long and cold. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the City of Camrose had a population of 18,772 living in 8,136 of its 8,747 total private dwellings, a change of 0.2% from its 2016 population of 18,742. Camrose is home to a wide variety of sports clubs including figure skating, baseball, football, fastball, hockey, and swimming to name a few. The Camrose Ski Club, founded in 1911, is the oldest cross-country ski club in Canada, and has produced many elite level athletes including several Olympians. Camrose is known colloquially as the Rose City due to the large number of wild roses which grow in the surrounding parklands. Developed to withstand the Alberta climate, the Camrose Rose was introduced to the city in 1995. Local rose grower Jerry Twomey bred and patented this variety of rose to honor his birthplace. The variety may be seen on display at the Bill Fowler Centre. Mirror Lake Park is the focal point of the Camrose urban parks system. Located on the edge of Mirror Lake, it is the home of the Bill Fowler Centre which contains the Chamber of Commerce office and the Tourist Information Centre. The Bill Fowler Centre features a nature mural, carved out of red brick. The mural features many of the animals which are indigenous to the Mirror Lake area. Mirror Lake flows from Stoney Creek, which wanders through the city, and provides a river valley for viewing wildlife through paved walking paths. Camrose is served by Camrose Airport. The primary post-secondary institution in Camrose is the Augustana Faculty of the University of Alberta (formerly known as Augustana University College). Established in 1910 by Norwegian settlers, under the name Camrose Lutheran College. In 2006, the university celebrated its first