Cold Lake, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cold Lake
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City
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| City of Cold Lake | ||
Kinosoo Beach
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 Cold Lake
Location in Alberta
Cold Lake
Location in Canada
Cold Lake
Location in MD of Bonnyville
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| Country | Canada | |
| Province | Alberta | |
| Region | Northern Alberta | |
| Planning region | Lower Athabasca | |
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Bonnyville No. 87 | |
| Incorporated | ||
| • Village | December 31, 1953 | |
| • Town | July 2, 1955 | |
| • City | October 1, 2000 | |
| Amalgamated | October 1, 1996 | |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 66.61 km2 (25.72 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 540 m (1,770 ft) | |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 15,661 | |
| • Density | 235.1/km2 (609/sq mi) | |
| • Municipal census (2022) | 16,302 | |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) | |
| Postal code span |
T9M
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| Area code(s) | 780, 587, 825, 368 | |
| Highways | Highway 28 Highway 55 |
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| Waterways | Beaver River Cold Lake |
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Cold Lake is a city in east-central Alberta, Canada. It gets its name from the large lake nearby. The Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake is also located within the city's boundaries.
Contents
Discover Cold Lake's Past
Cold Lake first appeared on a map in 1790. Back then, it was called Coldwater Lake. The city we know today was formed on October 1, 1996. It combined three smaller communities: the Town of Grand Centre, the original Town of Cold Lake, and Medley (which is part of CFB Cold Lake).
After the merger, Grand Centre became known as Cold Lake South. The original Town of Cold Lake is now called Cold Lake North. Because of this history, the area is sometimes called the "Tri-Town."
Explore Cold Lake's Location
Cold Lake is located in Alberta's "Lakeland" area. It is about 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of Edmonton. The city is also close to the border with Saskatchewan province. The land around the city is mostly farmland and not very crowded.
Cold Lake's Climate
Cold Lake has a climate with warm summers and cool nights. Winters are very cold, and there is a moderate amount of snow. This type of weather is known as a humid continental climate.
| Climate data for Cold Lake Regional Airport, Alberta (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1952–present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high humidex | 10.6 | 12.1 | 17.1 | 28.7 | 33.8 | 38.0 | 43.2 | 39.0 | 32.8 | 27.7 | 18.3 | 10.0 | 43.2 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 10.6 (51.1) |
14.1 (57.4) |
17.9 (64.2) |
29.4 (84.9) |
32.5 (90.5) |
36.3 (97.3) |
36.1 (97.0) |
36.1 (97.0) |
32.8 (91.0) |
27.4 (81.3) |
18.9 (66.0) |
10.1 (50.2) |
36.3 (97.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −9.9 (14.2) |
−6.3 (20.7) |
0.5 (32.9) |
9.4 (48.9) |
17.1 (62.8) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.6 (74.5) |
22.5 (72.5) |
16.9 (62.4) |
8.4 (47.1) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
−8.7 (16.3) |
7.7 (45.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −14.8 (5.4) |
−11.8 (10.8) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
3.6 (38.5) |
10.6 (51.1) |
15.1 (59.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
10.9 (51.6) |
3.6 (38.5) |
−5.9 (21.4) |
−13.1 (8.4) |
2.3 (36.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −19.6 (−3.3) |
−17.3 (0.9) |
−10.7 (12.7) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
4.1 (39.4) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.8 (53.2) |
10.3 (50.5) |
4.9 (40.8) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−9.8 (14.4) |
−17.4 (0.7) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −48.3 (−54.9) |
−42.8 (−45.0) |
−41.1 (−42.0) |
−34.4 (−29.9) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−9.4 (15.1) |
−23.5 (−10.3) |
−36.7 (−34.1) |
−44.4 (−47.9) |
−48.3 (−54.9) |
| Record low wind chill | −53.3 | −55.4 | −49.3 | −37.2 | −14.7 | −6.7 | 0.0 | −6.0 | −14.9 | −29.0 | −48.5 | −52.6 | −55.4 |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 17.4 (0.69) |
12.6 (0.50) |
17.8 (0.70) |
33.9 (1.33) |
39.9 (1.57) |
85.5 (3.37) |
79.4 (3.13) |
52.3 (2.06) |
38.8 (1.53) |
23.7 (0.93) |
19.2 (0.76) |
16.0 (0.63) |
436.5 (17.2) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.7 (0.03) |
0.2 (0.01) |
2.6 (0.10) |
20.1 (0.79) |
38.1 (1.50) |
85.4 (3.36) |
79.4 (3.13) |
52.1 (2.05) |
38.6 (1.52) |
15.1 (0.59) |
1.6 (0.06) |
0.4 (0.02) |
334.3 (13.16) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 23.4 (9.2) |
16.5 (6.5) |
18.0 (7.1) |
14.3 (5.6) |
2.0 (0.8) |
0.1 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.1) |
7.8 (3.1) |
22.6 (8.9) |
21.9 (8.6) |
127 (49.9) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 10.5 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 9.4 | 13.2 | 14.0 | 11.9 | 10.1 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.7 | 120.2 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.9 | 0.23 | 1.4 | 5.2 | 9.0 | 13.2 | 14.0 | 11.9 | 10.0 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 0.47 | 73.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 10.7 | 8.5 | 6.9 | 4.4 | 0.8 | 0.03 | 0.0 | 0.03 | 0.23 | 4.2 | 8.9 | 10.5 | 55.19 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 69.8 | 62.0 | 53.8 | 45.7 | 40.4 | 49.5 | 51.6 | 50.7 | 51.1 | 55.9 | 69.8 | 73.4 | 56.1 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 87.1 | 118.2 | 172.3 | 221.6 | 260.0 | 265.2 | 283.0 | 279.9 | 176.9 | 140.9 | 82.2 | 68.3 | 2,155.5 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 35.4 | 43.1 | 47.0 | 52.6 | 52.3 | 51.6 | 54.9 | 60.6 | 46.2 | 43.1 | 32.1 | 29.7 | 45.7 |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Cold Lake's Population
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In 2022, a local count showed Cold Lake had 16,302 people. This was an increase from 15,736 people in 2014.
The 2021 national census counted 15,661 people living in Cold Lake. This means the population grew from 14,976 people in 2016. The city covers an area of 66.61 square kilometers (25.72 square miles).
Many different languages are spoken in Cold Lake. In 2006, almost 89% of residents spoke English as their first language. More than 7% spoke French. Other languages included German, Chinese, Dutch, Ukrainian, Cree, and Arabic.
Cold Lake's Economy
The economy of Cold Lake is closely tied to the military base, CFB Cold Lake. The base brings a lot of money and jobs to the area.
The region also has a strong oil and gas industry. Companies explore for and produce oil and gas here. The Athabasca Oil Sands project near Fort McMurray also affects the local economy. The Cold Lake oil sands could become very important for the city's future.
Each year, Cold Lake hosts "Exercise Maple Flag." This is a training event for military forces from around the world. Pilots and support staff from NATO countries come to use the Air Weapons Range. This exercise lasts 4 to 6 weeks, starting in May. It fills up hotels and helps many local businesses.
Sports and Activities in Cold Lake
Cold Lake offers many different sports and activities for everyone.
- Hockey: Home to the Cold Lake Ice (Junior B Team) and the Cold Lake Freeze (Minor Hockey Teams).
- Lacrosse: Home to the Cold Lake Heat (Minor Lacrosse Teams).
- Team Sports: Volleyball, Football, Basketball, Soccer (indoor and outdoor), Baseball, and Rugby.
- Martial Arts: Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do.
- Skating: Figure Skating (Cold Lake Figure Skating Club and Norlight Skating Club).
- Winter Sports: Downhill Skiing at Kinosoo Ridge Snow Resort.
- Dance: Pirouette School of Dance and Fame Dance.
- Fitness: Mixed Martial Arts (Team Sparta), Powerlifting (Cold Lake Bar Benders), and Gymnastics (Lakeland Gymnastics Club).
- Other Fun: Roller Derby (Lakeland Ladykillers), Swimming (Cold Lake Marlins Swim Club), Disc Golf, Pickleball, and Bowling.
Education in Cold Lake
Cold Lake has several schools and colleges for students of all ages.
Portage College has a campus in Cold Lake. They offer programs like academic upgrading, accounting, and nursing.
There are two main school divisions in Cold Lake:
- Lakeland Catholic School District No. 150
- Northern Lights School Division No. 69
Cold Lake also has a French-language school called École Voyageur. It offers classes from kindergarten to grade 12. The Cold Lake Cadet Summer Training Centre is also located here.
Lakeland Catholic Schools
- Holy Cross Elementary School: Kindergarten to grade 6.
- École St. Dominic School: Pre-kindergarten to grade 6 (English and French programs).
- Assumption Junior/Senior High School: Grade 7 to grade 12 (English and French programs).
Northern Lights Schools
- Cold Lake Elementary School: Pre-kindergarten to grade 3.
- Ecole North Star Elementary School: Kindergarten to grade 3 (English and French programs).
- Nelson Heights School: Grade 4 to grade 6.
- Cold Lake Junior High: Grade 7 to grade 9.
- Cold Lake High School: Grade 10 to grade 12.
- Bridges Outreach School: Grade 8 and grade 9.
- Cold Lake Outreach School: Grade 10 to grade 12.
Fun and Recreation
Cold Lake is a great place for outdoor activities, especially near the lake.
There are several campgrounds nearby. The M.D. campground has powered sites and showers. The Cold Lake Provincial Park campground is more private. It has trails, a beach, and a boat launch. Meadow Lake Provincial Park in Saskatchewan is also close by.
Kinosoo Beach is a very popular spot in the summer. People enjoy it from June to August.
The Iron Horse Trail starts in Cold Lake. This trail is built on an old railway line and is great for walking or biking.
Other fun things to do include:
- Hockey
- Box Lacrosse
- Geocaching
- Martial Arts
- Rugby
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Bowling
- Curling
- Gymnastics
- Golf
- Horseback Riding
- 4H (in Cherry Grove)
- Rodeo (Cold Lake Ag Society)
- Dance
- Sailing
- Boating
- Fishing
- Downhill Skiing
- Roller Derby
Cold Lake Museums
Cold Lake has several museums where you can learn about the area's history.
Air Force Museum
The Cold Lake Air Force Museum tells the story of CFB Cold Lake and the 42 Radar Squadron. The 42 Radar Squadron was at this location from 1954 to 1992. You can see old technology from the Cold War era, like a General Electric Height Finder Radar.
The museum also shows the history of different squadrons at 4 Wing. You can learn about squadrons like 409 Squadron and 410 Squadron. Outside, there are four aircraft on display: the CF-5 Freedom Fighter, CT-133 Silver Star, CT-114 Tutor, and CT-134 Musketeer. A CF-188 Decoy is the newest addition.
Oil and Gas Museum
This museum was created by students from Grand Centre High School. It explains the history of oil and gas in the Cold Lake area. It covers everything from ancient times to today.
Heritage Museum
The Heritage Museum shows a timeline of life in Cold Lake. It covers both home life and businesses. The museum also has impressive murals.
Aboriginal Museum
The Aboriginal Museum shares the history of the Dene, Cree, and Metis peoples. It uses timelines, maps, crafts, and cultural displays.
Famous People from Cold Lake
- Wolverine, James "Logan" Howlett (a fictional character)
- Alex Auld, NHL goaltender
- Garry Howatt, NHL forward
- Alex Janvier, artist
- Bonnie McFarlane, comedian
- René Richard, artist
- Curtis Hargrove, charity runner
