Sylvan Lake, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sylvan Lake
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Town
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| Town of Sylvan Lake | |
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 Sylvan Lake
Location in Alberta
Sylvan Lake
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census division | 8 |
| Municipal district | Red Deer County |
| Founded | 1898 |
| Incorporated | |
| • Village | December 30, 1912 |
| • Town | May 20, 1946 |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 23.09 km2 (8.92 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 945 m (3,100 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 15,995 |
| • Density | 692.8/km2 (1,794/sq mi) |
| • Municipal census (2015) | 14,310 |
| • Estimate (2020) | 16,351 |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Forward sortation area |
T4S
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| Area code(s) | 403, 587, 825 |
| Waterways | Sylvan Lake |
| Highways | Highway 11 Highway 11A Highway 20 |
Sylvan Lake is a fun town in central Alberta, Canada. It's about 25 kilometers (15 miles) west of Red Deer. The town sits right on the edge of a beautiful freshwater lake, also called Sylvan Lake. This lake is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) long!
The lake is a very popular spot for visitors from all over Alberta. About 1 million people come here every year! They enjoy sunbathing, swimming, and water-skiing. Many also visit Camp Woods, which hosted the 12th Canadian Scout Jamboree in July 2013.
Contents
History of Sylvan Lake
The land where Sylvan Lake now stands was given to the Crown by the First Nations in 1877. This happened through an agreement called Treaty 6.
Early Settlers and Name Change
Sylvan Lake was first settled by French-speaking families. They came from Quebec and the United States. In 1898, Alexandre Loiselle and his family arrived from Michigan. They built their home on the land that is now the west side of Main Street.
When the first settlers arrived in 1899, the lake was called Snake Lake. This name came from the Cree word kinepik, because there were many garter snakes in the area. In 1903, the name was officially changed to Sylvan Lake. "Sylvan" comes from a Latin word meaning "of a forest".
Interestingly, an old map from 1859 by Palliser shows the location as Swan Lake.
Growth and Development
In the early 1900s, groups of Estonian and then Finnish settlers moved to farms south and west of Sylvan Lake. With them, the town started to grow. New businesses opened, like a general store, a blacksmith, and a post office.
The arrival of the Canadian Northern Railway in 1912 and the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1914 helped the area grow even more. Sylvan Lake officially became a village in 1913. E. S. Grimson, a local hardware store owner, became the first Mayor. Every year, the town celebrates its founding with "1913 Days".
Farming became very important in the area. In 1923, a large grain elevator was built. Farmers used it to store their crops. This elevator was taken down in the 1970s. The railway line was removed in 1986. Now, that old railway path is a natural walking trail.
Sylvan Lake as a Resort Town
Even before the railways, Sylvan Lake was a popular summer spot for families from Red Deer. With the trains, it became a favorite for people from Edmonton and Calgary too.
Visitors first camped in tents. Soon, summer cottages filled areas like the "Cottage Area" and "Lower Camp". By the 1930s and 1940s, more people arrived by car. This led to more summer homes around Norglenwold, Sylvan Lake Provincial Park, and Jarvis Bay Provincial Park.
More visitors meant more businesses for tourists. In 1913, the first motorboat offered tours of the lake. A large boathouse was built in 1926. Here, people could rent boats, canoes, or buy ice cream. Boat races, called Regattas, were also held on the lake starting in 1923.
In 1928, a long pier was built into the lake. It was a great place for swimming and docking boats. It even had the first "waterslide" at Sylvan Lake! Over time, ice damaged the piers. They were replaced by the "landfill" area we see today. This area now hosts beach volleyball and dragon boat races.
In 1983, the original waterslide was replaced by the Wild Rapids Waterslides. This was the biggest waterslide park in western Canada until it closed in 2016.
The Sylvan Lake Marina was built for boats. It is home to many permanent boats and the Sylvan Lake Lighthouse.
In 2014, Sylvan Lake won the Kraft Hockeyville contest. This brought a big cash prize and an NHL pre-season game to the town. The Calgary Flames played against the Arizona Coyotes here.
Geography
The Town of Sylvan Lake is located on the southeast shore of Sylvan Lake. The nearby summer villages are Norglenwold and Jarvis Bay.
Climate
Sylvan Lake has a cold climate with long, chilly winters. Summers are short and mild.
| Climate data for Sylvan Lake, Alberta | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
15.4 (59.7) |
28.6 (83.5) |
32.5 (90.5) |
33.3 (91.9) |
32.2 (90.0) |
31.8 (89.2) |
29.6 (85.3) |
28.1 (82.6) |
19.1 (66.4) |
12.7 (54.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −9.5 (14.9) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
0.7 (33.3) |
9.3 (48.7) |
15.9 (60.6) |
19.5 (67.1) |
21.3 (70.3) |
20.1 (68.2) |
14.8 (58.6) |
9.2 (48.6) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−8.7 (16.3) |
7.0 (44.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −14.6 (5.7) |
−11.8 (10.8) |
−5.1 (22.8) |
3.1 (37.6) |
9.5 (49.1) |
13.7 (56.7) |
15.7 (60.3) |
14.4 (57.9) |
9.2 (48.6) |
3.9 (39.0) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−13.4 (7.9) |
1.5 (34.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −19.8 (−3.6) |
−17.6 (0.3) |
−11 (12) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
3.1 (37.6) |
7.8 (46.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
8.6 (47.5) |
3.6 (38.5) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−18.2 (−0.8) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −42.8 (−45.0) |
−40.0 (−40.0) |
−38.3 (−36.9) |
−26.1 (−15.0) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
3.1 (37.6) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−21.8 (−7.2) |
−36.1 (−33.0) |
−41.7 (−43.1) |
−42.8 (−45.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 25.8 (1.02) |
20.7 (0.81) |
25.5 (1.00) |
29.0 (1.14) |
67.0 (2.64) |
91.6 (3.61) |
97.2 (3.83) |
73.7 (2.90) |
55.9 (2.20) |
24.2 (0.95) |
21.3 (0.84) |
24.5 (0.96) |
556.0 (21.89) |
| Source 1: 1961-1990 Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: 1971-2000 Environment Canada Precipitation Only | |||||||||||||
- Winter: Average temperature is about -14.6°C (5.7°F).
- Spring: Average temperature is about 3.1°C (37.6°F).
- Summer: Average temperature is about 15.7°C (60.3°F).
- Fall: Average temperature is about 3.9°C (39.0°F).
- Rain: About 398.3 mm (15.7 inches) of rain each year.
- Snow: About 158.2 cm (62.3 inches) of snow each year.
- Total: About 556.4 mm (21.9 inches) of total precipitation.
Sylvan Lake gets about 2,125 hours of sunshine each year.
Population and Growth
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In 2021, the town of Sylvan Lake had 15,995 people living there. This was a 7.9% increase from 2016. The town covers an area of 23.09 square kilometers (8.92 square miles).
Sylvan Lake is one of the largest towns in Alberta. It is big enough to become a city! A town can become a city when its population reaches 10,000 residents.
Different Backgrounds in Sylvan Lake
Sylvan Lake is a place where people from many different backgrounds live. Most residents are of European heritage. The number of Indigenous people living in Sylvan Lake has been growing. There are also smaller groups of people from Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the Middle East.
Religious Beliefs
Many people in Sylvan Lake identify as Christian.
- About 37.6% are Protestant.
- About 24.4% are Catholic.
- About 5.1% follow other Christian beliefs.
A significant number of people, about 32.4%, say they do not have a religion.
Education
Sylvan Lake has several schools for students.
Public Schools
The town has six public schools, which are part of the Chinook's Edge School District:
- Beacon Hill Elementary School
- C. P. Blakely School
- Fox Run School
- H.J. Cody School
- Steffie Woima Elementary School
- Sylvan Lake Career High
Catholic Schools
There are two Catholic schools in the Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools Division:
- École Mother Teresa Catholic School
- Our Lady of the Rosary
Private Schools
Two private schools also operate in Sylvan Lake:
- Lighthouse Christian Academy
- Sylvan Meadows Adventist School
Media
Sylvan Lake has its own local newspaper called The Sylvan Lake News. It keeps residents updated on local events and news.
Sports
Sylvan Lake is home to a few sports teams:
- The Sylvan Lake Gulls are a baseball team that plays in the Western Canadian Baseball League. They play at Pogadl Park.
- The Sylvan Lake Wranglers are a hockey team. They play in the Heritage Junior B Hockey League at the NexSource Centre.
Images for kids
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Sylvan Lake Lighthouse
