High Prairie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
High Prairie
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Town
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| Town of High Prairie | |
| Motto(s):
Gateway to the Peace Country
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Location in Big Lakes County
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 High Prairie
Location in Alberta
High Prairie
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Northern Alberta |
| Planning region | Upper Athabasca |
| Municipal district | Big Lakes County |
| Incorporated | |
| • Village | April 6, 1945 |
| • Town | January 10, 1950 |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 7.01 km2 (2.71 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 595 m (1,952 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 2,380 |
| • Density | 339.5/km2 (879/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| Postal code span |
T0G 1E0
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| Area code(s) | 780, 587, 825 |
| Highways | Highway 2 Highway 749 |
High Prairie is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Big Lakes County. You can find it where Highway 2 and Highway 749 meet. High Prairie is about 89 kilometers (55 miles) northeast of Valleyview. It is also 118 kilometers (73 miles) west of Slave Lake.
Contents
High Prairie's History
The name High Prairie describes the flat, open land around the town. A post office opened here in 1910. The area was first called Prairie River.
How High Prairie Grew
In 1914, a railway line was planned. It was decided that the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway would go through High Prairie. This railway later became the Northern Alberta Railway. Because of this, many people and businesses moved from Grouard to High Prairie. This helped High Prairie grow a lot.
High Prairie became a village on April 6, 1945. At that time, about 600 people lived there. It then became a town on January 10, 1950.
People of High Prairie
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In 2021, the town of High Prairie had 2,380 people. This number was counted by Statistics Canada. This means the population was a bit smaller than in 2016. In 2016, there were 2,564 people living in High Prairie.
High Prairie's Economy
High Prairie's economy relies on a few main areas. These include agriculture (farming), forestry (working with trees), and oil and gas. The town also has many service jobs.
Major Employers
One important employer is the Tolko OSB Mill. OSB stands for "Oriented Strand Board," which is a type of wood panel. This mill was built in 1994. It closed for a while in 2008 due to money problems. But it reopened in 2018 and now employs 174 people.
Another big employer is West Fraser Mills. This company bought the Buchanan lumber mill in 2014. It provides jobs for 150 people in High Prairie.
Fun Things to Do
High Prairie is close to the western side of Lesser Slave Lake. This makes it a popular spot for tourists, especially in the summer. There are many fun things to do at the lake. One popular event is the Golden Walleye Classic, a fishing competition.
Nature and Wildlife
If you like nature, you can visit Winagami Lake Provincial Park. It's about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) north of High Prairie. Kimiwan Lake is another great spot, about 49 kilometers (30 miles) northwest. Both lakes are perfect for bird-watching. Many different kinds of birds fly through this area. This is because three major bird migration paths meet here. These paths are the Central Flyway, the Mississippi Flyway, and the Pacific Flyway.
Health Services
High Prairie has good medical services for its residents. The High Prairie Community Health and Wellness Clinic is run by Alberta Health Services (AHS). This clinic offers primary care services. It has a team of healthcare professionals. They help people with common health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure.
The clinic has nurses and nurse practitioners. They also have doctors. A new doctor joined the AHS Clinic in February 2022. This helps make sure there are enough doctors in the area. High Prairie also has a private clinic, the High Prairie Medical Clinic.
Media and News
To stay updated in High Prairie, you can check out a few local media outlets.
- CKVH The Fox is a local radio station.
- CIRE-TV is the local community channel on TV.
- The South Peace News is a local community newspaper.
Famous People from High Prairie
Some well-known people have come from High Prairie:
- Tom Lysiak, a former professional hockey player.
- Randy Ragan, a former professional soccer player.
- Larry Shaben, Canada's first Muslim Cabinet Minister.
- Cheyanne Turions, a curator, artist, and writer.
High Prairie's Recognition
In 2001, High Prairie was recognized for its excellent water treatment system. It also received 4 'blooms' from Communities in Bloom. This group encourages communities to be environmentally friendly and beautiful.
