Chestermere facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chestermere
Chestermere Lake (1977–1993)
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| City of Chestermere | ||
Aerial view of Chestermere
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Location within Rocky View County
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 Chestermere
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada | |
| Province | Alberta | |
| Region | Calgary Region | |
| Census division | 6 | |
| Adjacent municipal district | Rocky View County | |
| Founded | 1884 | |
| Incorporated | ||
| • Summer village | April 1, 1977 | |
| • Town | March 1, 1993 | |
| • City | January 1, 2015 | |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 32.83 km2 (12.68 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 1,030 m (3,380 ft) | |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 22,163 | |
| • Density | 675/km2 (1,750/sq mi) | |
| • Municipal census (2016) | 19,715 | |
| • Estimate (2020) | 22,744 | |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) | |
| Forward sortation area |
T1X
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| Area code(s) | 403, 587, 825, 368 | |
| Highways | Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1) | |
Chestermere, originally called Chestermere Lake, is a city in the Canadian province of Alberta. It's located within Rocky View County. Many people who live in Chestermere travel to Calgary for work, making it a "commuter town." It's also part of the larger Calgary Region. The city is built around Chestermere Lake, and it was known as Chestermere Lake from 1977 to 1993.
Contents
Discover Chestermere's Past
Early Days and Irrigation
Before the 1900s, only a few farmers lived around what is now Chestermere Lake. When the Canadian Pacific Railway was built in the 1880s, more settlers came to the west. To help their farms grow, people looked for ways to water their land. Chestermere Lake, which was a natural wetland, was perfect for storing water for irrigation.
By 1907, a dam and canal system were built. This turned the wetland into a proper lake, and farmers started using its water to irrigate their crops.
Becoming a Summer Village
After the irrigation system was built, people began to use the lake for fun activities. They would rent land from the Western Irrigation District (WID) and build small cabins to stay at the lake during summer. In 1959, the Chestermere Cabin Owners Association (CCOA) was formed with about 50 members. This group organized events, bought a fire truck, worked to keep the lake clean, planted trees, and helped bring electricity and natural gas to the cabins.
As more people moved to Chestermere Lake, they wanted to live there permanently. In 1975, the CCOA bought the land from the WID and then sold it to the residents. By 1977, there were 120 permanent homes around the lake. On April 1, 1977, the area officially became the Summer Village of Chestermere Lake. As a summer village, residents had more say in local decisions. They started adding services like fire protection, better roads, a community hall, street lights, a recreation center, local businesses, and a golf course.
Growing into a Town
By 1992, Chestermere's population had grown to 1,043 people living there all year. On March 1, 1993, the Summer Village of Chestermere Lake officially changed its status and name to the Town of Chestermere. Becoming a town gave residents even more local power. The town continued to add services and grow. By 2014, its population reached 17,203 residents. Later that year, the town council decided to become a city.
Achieving City Status
Chestermere's town council voted to apply for city status on September 29, 2014. At that time, it was the fastest-growing town in Alberta! On January 1, 2015, Chestermere officially became Alberta's 18th city.
In December 2023, there was a change in how the city was managed. The Alberta government appointed an administrator to oversee the city's operations for a period of time.
Exploring Chestermere's Geography
City Neighbourhoods
Chestermere is divided into several areas, or neighbourhoods. These include:
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Chestermere's Population Facts
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In the 2021 Census, Chestermere had a population of 22,163 people. This was a change of 11.4% from its 2016 population of 19,887. The city covers an area of about 32.83 km2 (12.68 sq mi), meaning there were about 675.1/km2 (1,749/sq mi) people per square kilometer in 2021.
Chestermere's own municipal census in 2017 counted 20,331 people. This was a small increase of 3.1% from the 2016 municipal census, which recorded 19,715 residents.
Getting Around Chestermere
Chestermere is easy to reach by car using the Trans-Canada Highway (Alberta Highway 1) and Chestermere Boulevard / 17 Avenue SE. For air travel, there's the Chestermere (Kirkby Field) Airport. Calgary Transit also offers bus service to Chestermere during busy morning and evening hours.
Fun Things to Do in Chestermere
- Chestermere Lake – This lake is a major attraction! In summer, you can enjoy waterskiing, wakeboarding, fishing, and many other water sports. There are also parks where you can launch boats and have family picnics. The Calgary Yacht Club is located here too.
- Chestermere Water Festival – This is an exciting yearly event that celebrates summer at the lake.
- Biking and skateboarding – Chestermere has connections to Calgary's bike path system. There are also bike trails around the lake, a BMX park, and a skate park.
- Winter Festival – This is an annual celebration of winter in the city, with lots of fun activities.
- Lakeside Greens Golf Course – If you like golf, this is an 18-hole course in Chestermere.
- Camp Chestermere – This is a Christian camp found on the southeast side of Chestermere Lake.
Learning in Chestermere
Chestermere has several public schools run by the Rocky View School Division. These include Chestermere High School, Chestermere Lake Middle School, Prairie Waters Elementary School, East Lake School, and Rainbow Creek Elementary School.
For publicly funded Catholic education, the Calgary Catholic School District operates St. Gabriel the Archangel school for grades 7-12 and Our Lady of Wisdom school for grades K-6.
For education beyond high school, most students go to Calgary.
Chestermere's Growth and Borders
On August 1, 2007, the City of Calgary expanded its borders by taking over a large area of land from Rocky View County. This meant Calgary's eastern edge was now very close to Chestermere's western edge.
Chestermere also wanted to grow. In March 2007, the city suggested expanding its own borders to include the land between Chestermere and Calgary. On March 13, 2009, Chestermere's expansion was approved. This created a shared border between Chestermere and Calgary.
