Oyen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oyen
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| Town of Oyen | |
Location in Special Area No. 3
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 Oyen
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 4 |
| Special Area | Special Area No. 3 |
| Incorporated | |
| • Village | January 17, 1913 |
| • Town | September 1, 1965 |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 5.15 km2 (1.99 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 770 m (2,530 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 917 |
| • Density | 178.1/km2 (461/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Postal code span |
T0J 2J0
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| Highways | Highway 9 Highway 41 Highway 895 |
Oyen is a small town in Alberta, Canada. It is located in the east-central part of the province. The town is close to the border with Saskatchewan. You can find Oyen north of the city of Medicine Hat.
Oyen is situated right on Highway 41. It's about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) south of where Highway 41 meets Highway 9.
The town was first called Bishopburg. In 1912, its name was changed to Oyen. This was done to honor Andrew Oyen, an early settler. He sold his land to create the townsite.
Oyen serves as an important center for the surrounding area. This region is known for dryland farming. Farmers here grow crops like wheat, barley, and canola. They also raise beef cattle.
Contents
Weather and Environment in Oyen
Oyen's Climate
Oyen has a semi-arid climate. This means it's quite dry. Winters are long, cold, and don't get much snow. Summers are short and warm.
The town gets about 322 millimeters (12.7 inches) of rain each year. Most of this rain falls during the warmer months. Even though it's dry, Oyen's temperatures are similar to places with a humid continental climate.
| Climate data for Oyen Cappon Climate ID: 3024961; coordinates 51°10′N 110°31′W / 51.167°N 110.517°W; elevation: 792.5 m (2,600 ft); 1981−2010 normals |
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) |
14.5 (58.1) |
25.5 (77.9) |
30.5 (86.9) |
35.5 (95.9) |
37.5 (99.5) |
38.0 (100.4) |
39.0 (102.2) |
36.0 (96.8) |
28.0 (82.4) |
21.0 (69.8) |
13.5 (56.3) |
39.0 (102.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −6.7 (19.9) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
2.2 (36.0) |
12.2 (54.0) |
18.2 (64.8) |
22.1 (71.8) |
26.1 (79.0) |
25.6 (78.1) |
18.8 (65.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
0.7 (33.3) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
10.1 (50.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −11.4 (11.5) |
−8.7 (16.3) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
5.5 (41.9) |
11.3 (52.3) |
15.5 (59.9) |
18.8 (65.8) |
18.0 (64.4) |
12.0 (53.6) |
5.1 (41.2) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−9.6 (14.7) |
4.1 (39.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −16.1 (3.0) |
−13.4 (7.9) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
4.3 (39.7) |
8.9 (48.0) |
11.4 (52.5) |
10.4 (50.7) |
5.2 (41.4) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−14.3 (6.3) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −40.0 (−40.0) |
−40.5 (−40.9) |
−33.5 (−28.3) |
−23.3 (−9.9) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
3.5 (38.3) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−24.5 (−12.1) |
−35.0 (−31.0) |
−42.0 (−43.6) |
−42.0 (−43.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 9.8 (0.39) |
5.8 (0.23) |
11.2 (0.44) |
16.9 (0.67) |
41.2 (1.62) |
74.7 (2.94) |
51.3 (2.02) |
34.9 (1.37) |
32.0 (1.26) |
13.4 (0.53) |
11.1 (0.44) |
9.8 (0.39) |
312.1 (12.29) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.01) |
1.1 (0.04) |
12.3 (0.48) |
40.0 (1.57) |
74.7 (2.94) |
51.3 (2.02) |
34.9 (1.37) |
31.0 (1.22) |
7.7 (0.30) |
0.5 (0.02) |
0.4 (0.02) |
254.1 (10.00) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 9.8 (3.9) |
5.6 (2.2) |
10.1 (4.0) |
4.6 (1.8) |
1.2 (0.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.0 (0.4) |
5.7 (2.2) |
10.6 (4.2) |
9.4 (3.7) |
58 (23) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 3.8 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 8.5 | 11.2 | 9.2 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 69.1 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.0 | 0.07 | 0.52 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 11.2 | 9.2 | 7.6 | 7.0 | 2.9 | 0.19 | 0.12 | 50.2 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 3.8 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 0.48 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 20.0 |
| Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, | |||||||||||||
People and Population
How Many People Live in Oyen?
In 2021, the town of Oyen had a population of 917 people. These people lived in 352 homes. This number was a bit lower than in 2016.
In 2016, 1,001 people lived in Oyen. The town's land area is about 5.15 square kilometers (2 square miles). This means there were about 178 people per square kilometer in 2021.
The town also does its own counts. In 2017, the municipal census showed 1,022 people. This was a small increase from 1,006 people in 2015.
Fun Things to Do in Oyen
Oyen offers several places for fun and activities. There is a local golf course where you can play. The town also has a museum where you can learn about its history.
For sports, Oyen has an arena for ice activities. There's also a curling rink. In the summer, you can cool off at the outdoor pool. High school students interested in baseball can join the Badlands Badgers baseball academy.
Important Services in Oyen
Oyen has important services for its residents and visitors. There is a large rest stop north of town. It's located where Highway 41 and Highway 9 meet. This stop has a gas station, a restaurant, and a motel.
You can also find a visitor information center there. This center is run by Travel Alberta. Oyen also has its own hospital. The Oyen Municipal Airport is nearby for air travel.
Schools in Oyen
Oyen has schools for students of different ages. South Central High School (SCHS) is the regional public high school. It teaches students from grade seven to grade twelve.
Oyen Public School (OPS) is for younger students. It has classes from kindergarten to grade nine. There is also Assumption Roman Catholic school. This school teaches students from kindergarten to grade six.
Famous People from Oyen
Some notable people have connections to Oyen.
- Rick Strankman was a politician. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. He represented the area of Drumheller-Stettler from 2012 to 2019.
- Melody Davidson is a very successful hockey coach. She was the head coach for the Canadian women's hockey team. Under her leadership, the team won gold medals at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. She also directed the team that won gold in 2014.
