Olds, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Olds
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Town
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| Town of Olds | |
Main Street Olds
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 Olds
Location in Alberta
Olds
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census division | 6 |
| Municipal district | Mountain View County |
| Incorporated | |
| • Village | 26 May 1896 |
| • Town | 1 July 1905 |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 14.92 km2 (5.76 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,041 m (3,415 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 9,209 |
| • Density | 617.3/km2 (1,599/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| Forward sortation area |
T4H
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| Area code(s) | -1+403, -1+587 |
| Highways | Highway 2A Highway 27 |
Olds (/oʊldz/ ohldz) is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is part of Mountain View County and is located in the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. Olds is about 61 km (38 mi) south of Red Deer and 90 km (56 mi) north of Calgary.
The town is found where Highway 27 and Highway 2A meet. It is also 5 km (3.1 mi) west of the main Queen Elizabeth II Highway. The Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway line, which connects Edmonton and Calgary, runs right through Olds.
Contents
Exploring Olds: Geography and Climate
Olds is located in the Grasslands Natural Region of Alberta. The downtown area of Olds is about 1,041 m (3,415 ft) above sea level. In 2011, the town covered a land area of 14.87 km2 (5.74 sq mi).
Olds' Climate: Weather Patterns
Olds has a humid continental climate, which means it has warm summers and cold winters. The average temperature is about 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) in late July. In mid-January, the average temperature drops to about −10.1 °C (13.8 °F).
Winters in Olds are very cold, with temperatures often falling to or below −30 °C (−22 °F). However, dry Chinook winds from the mountains can bring warmer breaks. Summers can be hot, with temperatures sometimes reaching up to 30 °C (86 °F).
| Climate data for Olds | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
18.3 (64.9) |
22.8 (73.0) |
29.4 (84.9) |
35.6 (96.1) |
36.1 (97.0) |
37.2 (99.0) |
33.9 (93.0) |
33.9 (93.0) |
30.6 (87.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
19.0 (66.2) |
37.2 (99.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −3.0 (26.6) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
2.3 (36.1) |
10.2 (50.4) |
15.9 (60.6) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.8 (71.2) |
21.9 (71.4) |
16.8 (62.2) |
10.8 (51.4) |
1.6 (34.9) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −8.7 (16.3) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
3.9 (39.0) |
9.4 (48.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
15.6 (60.1) |
15.2 (59.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
4.5 (40.1) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
−7.4 (18.7) |
3.5 (38.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −14.3 (6.3) |
−12.6 (9.3) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
2.9 (37.2) |
7.3 (45.1) |
9.4 (48.9) |
8.4 (47.1) |
3.5 (38.3) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
−8.9 (16.0) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −43.3 (−45.9) |
−43.9 (−47.0) |
−37.2 (−35.0) |
−29.4 (−20.9) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−15.0 (5.0) |
−26.0 (−14.8) |
−34.0 (−29.2) |
−43.3 (−45.9) |
−43.9 (−47.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 17.7 (0.70) |
14.4 (0.57) |
23.0 (0.91) |
23.7 (0.93) |
56.6 (2.23) |
89.8 (3.54) |
66.0 (2.60) |
64.6 (2.54) |
58.3 (2.30) |
18.6 (0.73) |
16.6 (0.65) |
13.3 (0.52) |
492.4 (19.39) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.1 (0.00) |
0.1 (0.00) |
1.9 (0.07) |
12.5 (0.49) |
47.6 (1.87) |
94.2 (3.71) |
89.8 (3.54) |
65.8 (2.59) |
54.0 (2.13) |
9.7 (0.38) |
0.9 (0.04) |
0.2 (0.01) |
376.7 (14.83) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 17.6 (6.9) |
14.3 (5.6) |
21.1 (8.3) |
11.3 (4.4) |
9.1 (3.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.1) |
4.4 (1.7) |
8.9 (3.5) |
15.7 (6.2) |
13.1 (5.2) |
115.7 (45.6) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.08 | 0.12 | 0.42 | 4.2 | 11.2 | 15.2 | 14.2 | 12.4 | 9.7 | 4.2 | 0.35 | 0.19 | 72.1 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 7.6 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.12 | 0.78 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 41.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 7.7 | 6.2 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 12.1 | 15.2 | 14.2 | 12.4 | 10.1 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 111.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 87.4 | 107.2 | 147.1 | 187.5 | 215.8 | 237.1 | 271.7 | 249.7 | 180.8 | 145.3 | 88.9 | 80.0 | 1,998.4 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 33.7 | 38.3 | 40.1 | 45.1 | 44.5 | 47.6 | 54.2 | 55.1 | 47.5 | 43.8 | 33.3 | 32.7 | 43.0 |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Plants and Animals in Olds
Olds is surrounded by various plants and animals. You can find poplar trees and different types of wild grasses. Since Olds is an agriculture-focused town, many fields are filled with crops. These include canola and barley.
Most of the animals you'll see are farm animals. This includes livestock like cattle and poultry (chickens, ducks, etc.). Many farms nearby also have horses and donkeys.
Olds' Economy: Business and Technology
Olds has its own special internet service called O-Net. It uses fibre optic cables to give very fast internet speeds to homes and businesses. This service cost the town about $21 million to set up.
The town also has a large shopping area that opened in 2008. Here you can find big stores like Walmart, Canadian Tire, and Home Hardware, along with other popular shops.
Olds' Population: How Many People Live Here?
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In 2021, Statistics Canada counted 9,209 people living in Olds. This was a small increase from 9,184 people in 2016. The town has a land area of 14.92 km2 (5.76 sq mi). This means there were about 617.2/km2 (1,599/sq mi) people per square kilometer in 2021.
Back in 2016, the population was 9,184. This was a 11.5% increase from 8,235 people in 2011.
Education in Olds: Schools and College
Olds has four schools for students of different ages. These are École Olds Elementary School, École Deer Meadow School, Olds High School, and Holy Trinity Catholic School. Three of these schools are part of the Chinook's Edge School Division No. 73.
Elementary School: Learning the Basics
École Olds Elementary School teaches students from kindergarten to grade 4. It has a gymnasium with a fun rock climbing wall.
Junior High School: Growing and Learning
École Deer Meadow School is for grades 5 to 8. It has a larger gym and a music room for students who want to join band programs.
High School: Preparing for the Future
Olds High School serves students from grades 9 to 12. It has a gymnasium, a fitness center, and a fine arts theater. This school is also part of the Olds College Campus. Students can choose from many programs like sports, band, shop class, drama, and even a stained glass program.
Olds College: Higher Learning and Agriculture
Olds is also home to Olds College of Agriculture & Technology. This college is well-known for its programs that focus on agriculture technology.
Sports and Fun in Olds
Olds is a great place for sports and recreation! It has many sports teams.
- The Olds Grizzlys are a hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). They play at the Olds Sports Complex.
- The Olds College Broncos are part of the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference.
- The Olds Rapids Swim Club practices at the Olds Aquatic Centre.
- Every summer, the Olds Skate Park hosts the Hay City Slam Skate Comp.
Olds also has two golf courses. The Olds Central Highlands course has 23 holes and is located 3 mi (4.8 km) east of town. The new 9-hole Trail Creek Golf course opened in July 2015. It is 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Olds.
The Olds Gymnastics Club recently moved to a new building on 25th Avenue. This building used to be a Sears Canada store.
The 185 Olds Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron has its building in Olds. This building used to be the town's recreation center. Now, local dance groups and church programs also rent space there.
Famous People from Olds
- Danielle Lappage: An Olympic wrestler who competed in the Rio 2016 games.
- Blake Richards: A Canadian politician who has been a Member of Parliament for Banff-Airdrie since 2008.
- Jay Rosehill: A professional ice hockey player.
