Bowden, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bowden
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Town
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| Town of Bowden | |
 Bowden
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census division | 8 |
| Municipal district | Red Deer County |
| Incorporated | |
| • Village | June 17, 1904 |
| • Town | September 1, 1981 |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 3.46 km2 (1.34 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 991 m (3,251 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 1,280 |
| • Density | 370.2/km2 (959/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Postal code span |
T4E
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| Area code(s) | +1-403 |
Bowden is a small town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Red Deer County along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway. Bowden is about 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of the city of Red Deer.
The town's name might come from a place called Bowdon in England. Another story says a surveyor named Williamson suggested using his wife's maiden name for the area.
Contents
History of Bowden
From Air Base to Correctional Facility
During World War II, a piece of land about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north of Bowden was used by the Royal Canadian Air Force. They built an air training base there called RCAF Station Bowden. This base was home to No. 32 Elementary Flying Training School, where pilots learned to fly.
After the war, the site was changed into the Bowden Institution. At first, it was a facility run by the province. In 1974, it became a medium-security correctional facility run by the Canadian government.
A Community for Commuters
Bowden is often called a "bedroom community." This means that many people who live in Bowden travel to other nearby cities for work. They might commute to places like Red Deer or Calgary for their jobs.
Geography and Location
Nearby Towns and Cities
Bowden is surrounded by other communities. To the north, you'll find Innisfail. To the west is Caroline, and to the east is Huxley. South of Bowden is the town of Olds.
Bowden's Climate
| Climate data for Bowden | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.8 (55.0) |
14.4 (57.9) |
19.4 (66.9) |
28.9 (84.0) |
30.6 (87.1) |
33.3 (91.9) |
34.4 (93.9) |
32.8 (91.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
29.0 (84.2) |
22.2 (72.0) |
13.9 (57.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −8 (18) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
1.2 (34.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
16.5 (61.7) |
20.0 (68.0) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.1 (71.8) |
16.7 (62.1) |
11.9 (53.4) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−6 (21) |
8.7 (47.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −13.6 (7.5) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
3.4 (38.1) |
9.6 (49.3) |
13.6 (56.5) |
15.7 (60.3) |
15.0 (59.0) |
9.9 (49.8) |
4.9 (40.8) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
−11.6 (11.1) |
2.5 (36.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −19.4 (−2.9) |
−14.5 (5.9) |
−10 (14) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
2.6 (36.7) |
7.1 (44.8) |
8.9 (48.0) |
7.8 (46.0) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−10 (14) |
−17.2 (1.0) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −45.6 (−50.1) |
−42 (−44) |
−39.4 (−38.9) |
−22.8 (−9.0) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−24.5 (−12.1) |
−33.3 (−27.9) |
−44.4 (−47.9) |
−45.6 (−50.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 27.3 (1.07) |
19.2 (0.76) |
20.6 (0.81) |
25.4 (1.00) |
58.5 (2.30) |
89.1 (3.51) |
90.1 (3.55) |
59.5 (2.34) |
53.9 (2.12) |
22.3 (0.88) |
18.5 (0.73) |
27.5 (1.08) |
511.7 (20.15) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 1.0 (0.04) |
0.3 (0.01) |
1.7 (0.07) |
10.4 (0.41) |
55.0 (2.17) |
89.0 (3.50) |
90.1 (3.55) |
59.5 (2.34) |
50.3 (1.98) |
12.0 (0.47) |
1.3 (0.05) |
0.0 (0.0) |
370.6 (14.59) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 26.3 (10.4) |
18.9 (7.4) |
18.9 (7.4) |
15.0 (5.9) |
3.5 (1.4) |
0.1 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
3.5 (1.4) |
10.3 (4.1) |
17.2 (6.8) |
27.5 (10.8) |
141.0 (55.5) |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Population and Demographics
How Many People Live in Bowden?
In the 2021 Census, Bowden had a population of 1,280 people. These people lived in 584 homes. This was a small increase from its 2016 population of 1,240 people.
The town covers a land area of about 3.46 square kilometers (1.34 square miles). This means that in 2021, there were about 370 people living in each square kilometer.
Fun Things to Do in Bowden
Bowden has a nine-hole golf course where you can play. There are also community centers like the Paterson Community Centre and the Friendship Centre. These places are used for family events and town gatherings.
You can also visit the Pioneer Museum. It shows what life was like in the past in Bowden. The museum has old photographs taken by a local photographer named Bob Hoare. He captured pictures of people around the early 1900s.
Famous People from Bowden
- Neil MacGonigill, a music manager and producer, grew up in Bowden.
