Grovedale, Alberta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grovedale
Hamlet
Grovedale Location in M.D. of Greenview Show map of M.D. of Greenview Grovedale Location in Alberta Show map of Alberta
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Planning region	Upper Peace
Municipal district	Greenview
Government
• Type	Unincorporated
Area
• Total	1.82 km2 (0.70 sq mi)
Population
• Total	138
• Density	75.8/km2 (196.4/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)

Grovedale is a small community called a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located on Highway 666, south of a larger city called Grande Prairie. Grovedale is found near the Wapiti River valley. It is surrounded by farms and ranches, right where the big boreal forests and aspen parkland meet the foothills of the Canadian Rockies.

History of Grovedale

Early Days and First Services

• 1928: The first settlers, William and Mary Gabler, arrived in Grovedale.
• 1934: A ferry service started to help people cross the river. It was paid for by donations. T.E. Cooke owned the ferry, and Otto Sorely was the ferryman from 1934 to 1945. He was paid with food and supplies from the people who used the ferry.
• 1939: A post office and a general store opened. Farmers in the area began growing alfalfa, a plant used for animal feed.

Schools and Parks

• 1945: The first school in Grovedale opened its doors with 14 students.
• 1954: O'Brien Provincial Park was created. It was named after Dr. L.J. O'Brien, who was Grovedale's first forest ranger in 1932.
• 1960: A new two-room school was built in the community.
• 1963: Another school building was moved to Grovedale from a small community nearby.
• 1967: The two-room school was made bigger and renamed Penson Elementary School.

Modern Connections

• 1958: Grovedale got electricity for the first time.
• 1958: A big bridge was built over the Wapiti River. Before this, lumber companies built bridges, but they would wash away every spring. The new bridge was important for connecting Grovedale to other places, like Vancouver and the United States, for truck routes. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on November 28, 1958.
• 1970s: Natural gas lines reached Grovedale, bringing a new way to heat homes and businesses.
• 1975: The Grovedale Community Centre was built, giving people a place to gather.
• 1976: A new neighborhood called Landry Heights was approved for building.

Population

Grovedale is a small community. According to a program that helps fund municipal transportation, the population of Grovedale is 138 people.

Images for kids

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  Building the bridge over the Wapiti River