Genesee, Alberta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Genesee
Unincorporated community
Genesee, Alberta Location in Alberta
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Central Alberta
Census Division	11
Municipal district	Leduc County
Elevation	820 m (2,690 ft)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST)
Highways	770
Waterways	North Saskatchewan River

Genesee is a small community in central Alberta, Canada. It's located within Leduc County. The community got its name from Genesee, New York, which was the hometown of one of its first settlers.

Where is Genesee?

Genesee is found off Highway 770. It's south of the North Saskatchewan River. The community is about 71 kilometers (44 miles) southwest of the city of Edmonton. Highway 622 and the area of St. Francis are about 8 kilometers (5 miles) to the south. The Capital Power Genesee Generating Station is a very important part of the community.

Genesee's Weather

Genesee has a northern continental climate, much like Edmonton. This means it has big differences between summer and winter temperatures. Summers are mild, and winters are chilly. The average temperature in January is about -11.7°C (10.9°F). In July, it's around 17.5°C (63.5°F). Temperatures can go above 30°C (86°F) about three days a year. They can also drop below -20°C (-4°F) for about twenty-eight days each year.

What Genesee Does

The main way people in Genesee earn a living is by working at the Capital Power Generating Stations. These are power plants that use coal. They employ over 300 people across three different units. Many people also work in the strip mining operations that provide coal for the plants. Other jobs in the community include farming. Some residents also travel to bigger towns for work.

Getting Around Genesee

Airports Nearby

Genesee is served by the Edmonton International Airport. There are also smaller local airfields. The Zajes airfield is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) north of Highway 39 on Highway 770. The St Francis Airfield (Byrne Farm) is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) west of St Francis on Highway 622.

Roads and Transportation

Genesee has one paved road, which is Highway 770. Most other roads are gravel. They are usually about 20 feet (6 meters) wide. Leduc County takes care of these roads by grading them and adding new gravel. Residents can also choose to have oil put on the road in front of their homes to help with dust.

Power and Water

Electricity in Genesee comes from local utility companies. Before, only TransAlta Utilities provided power. Electricity reaches homes through overhead power lines. Residents need to rent their own transformer.

For water and wastewater, most homes use traditional drilled wells and septic systems. The water quality used to be very good. However, recent strip mining in the area has affected some of the shallower wells.

Hospitals and Emergency Help

There are four main hospitals that serve Genesee residents. These are in Breton, Drayton Valley, Stony Plain (Westview hospital), and Leduc. For more advanced medical care, people can go to the various hospitals in Edmonton.

Emergency services are provided by the county. Genesee residents also get extra help from the emergency services at the Capital Power Genesee Generating Station. These services include fire and first responder teams.

Learning in Genesee

Schools for Kids

There is one public school for the Genesee area. It is located in the Village of Warburg. This school offers education from playschool all the way up to grade 12. Students can choose between academic courses to prepare for college or vocational courses for job skills.

Genesee has an interesting school history. It once had a one-room schoolhouse until 1960. Later, a former community hall was used for kindergarten and grade 1. This hall closed in 1985 when the power station's cooling pond flooded part of the community. After that, all schooling moved to Warburg.

Fun and Culture

Things to Do at Night

Most residents drive to nearby towns like Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, and Leduc for bigger clubs and movies. However, there are local rural bars in Warburg, Sunnybrook, Breton, Mink Lake, Wabamun, and Beach Corner. People also enjoy arranging evening activities with their neighbors. Like many rural areas, informal outdoor parties are common.

Museums and Art

The local history of Genesee is kept at the Warburg Museum. This museum is a converted two-room schoolhouse. It's located on the grounds of the current Warburg School.

Local Events

• Genesee Sting Slo-Pitch team (a baseball-like game)
• 4-H activities (a youth development program)

Sports and Recreation

Genesee residents use the sports and recreation facilities in Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, and Warburg. Warburg has places for hockey and curling. It also offers organized sports like baseball and court sports at the local high school. The Stony Plain/Spruce Grove area has similar options. It also has the Tri-Leisure Centre for swimming and many fitness centers.

The local Genesee community hall has facilities for baseball, slo-pitch, horseshoes, and a playground. The outdoor arena that was once there has been moved to the Warburg School.

Religion

Genesee had a United Church group throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Catholic services were held in St. Francis until that church closed. The Catholic community then moved to Warburg.