Taber, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taber
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Town
|
|||
| Town of Taber | |||
Taber town centre
|
|||
|
|||
| Motto(s):
"Unity, Growth, Prosperity"
|
|||
 Taber
Location in Alberta
|
|||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | Alberta | ||
| Region | Southern Alberta | ||
| Census division | 2 | ||
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Taber | ||
| Incorporated | |||
| • Village | March 15, 1905 | ||
| • Town | July 1, 1907 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Mayor-Council government | ||
| Area
(2021)
|
|||
| • Land | 19.32 km2 (7.46 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 815 m (2,674 ft) | ||
| Population
(2021)
|
|||
| • Total | 8,862 | ||
| • Density | 458.6/km2 (1,188/sq mi) | ||
| • Municipal census (2020) | 8,711 | ||
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | ||
| Forward sortation area |
T1G
|
||
| Highways | Highway 3 Highway 36 |
||
| Waterway | Oldman River | ||
Taber is a town located in southern Alberta, Canada. It is surrounded by the Municipal District of Taber. The town is about 51 kilometers (32 miles) east of the City of Lethbridge. You can find Taber where Highway 3 and Highway 36 meet.
Taber is very well-known for its delicious corn. This is because the area gets a lot of sunshine, which is perfect for growing corn. Because of this, Taber is often called the Corn Capital of Canada. Every year, the town hosts a fun event called "Cornfest" during the last week of August.
Contents
Discovering Taber's Past
Taber has an interesting history that began with the railway.
How Taber Got Its Name
Originally, Taber was just a stop called "Tank No. 77." This was a place where trains could fill up on water. In 1903, the first settlers, who were Mormons from the U.S., are believed to have started a small community here.
After the town's post office was built in 1907, the CPR decided to name the town "Tabor." They might have named it after Mount Tabor in the Holy Land. However, due to some mix-ups where official letters and station signs were printed "Taber," the CPR changed the name to match these records.
There's another story about the name. Some say that Mormon settlers in the area used part of the word "tabernacle." Then, the next Canadian Pacific Railway station was named Elcan, which is "nacle" spelled backward!
Taber's Economic Roots
Over time, Taber became a busy coal mining town. Coal mining slowed down in the late 1920s. But it became important again in the 1930s after a lot of irrigation was set up in the area. Irrigation means bringing water to dry land to help crops grow.
During the Second World War, many Japanese Canadians were moved to Alberta. Some were asked to work in sugar beet fields to help with the war effort.
Irrigation was also very helpful for growing sugar beets. In 1950, a factory was built to process sugar beets. This factory, now known as Roger's Sugar, is still a very important part of Taber's economy today.
Ancient Discoveries Near Taber
Many old discoveries have been made around Taber. In 1961, a scientist named Dr. Archie Stalker found bones of ancient buffalo. He also found what is known as the "Taber child" in old ice deposits along the east side of the Oldman River. These finds help us learn about life long ago.
Taber's Climate and Weather
Taber has a semi-arid climate, which means it's quite dry. It's known as a "cold semi-arid climate."
Temperature Extremes in Taber
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Taber was 40.6 degrees Celsius (105.1 degrees Fahrenheit) on July 17, 1936. The coldest temperature ever recorded was a very chilly -43.3 degrees Celsius (-45.9 degrees Fahrenheit) on January 23, 1969.
| Climate data for Taber, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1907–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.0 (64.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
28.0 (82.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
36.1 (97.0) |
39.4 (102.9) |
40.6 (105.1) |
38.5 (101.3) |
35.6 (96.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
23.5 (74.3) |
19.0 (66.2) |
40.6 (105.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.7 (30.7) |
2.6 (36.7) |
5.6 (42.1) |
13.6 (56.5) |
18.7 (65.7) |
22.2 (72.0) |
27.1 (80.8) |
27.2 (81.0) |
20.7 (69.3) |
13.6 (56.5) |
5.3 (41.5) |
0.2 (32.4) |
13.0 (55.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −6.6 (20.1) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
6.6 (43.9) |
11.8 (53.2) |
15.7 (60.3) |
19.5 (67.1) |
19.1 (66.4) |
13.2 (55.8) |
7.0 (44.6) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
6.4 (43.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −12.4 (9.7) |
−9.5 (14.9) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
4.8 (40.6) |
9.1 (48.4) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.0 (51.8) |
5.6 (42.1) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−10.7 (12.7) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −43.3 (−45.9) |
−38 (−36) |
−36.7 (−34.1) |
−21.1 (−6.0) |
−11.7 (10.9) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
2.8 (37.0) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−26.5 (−15.7) |
−33 (−27) |
−42.2 (−44.0) |
−43.3 (−45.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 16.8 (0.66) |
13.6 (0.54) |
24.1 (0.95) |
31.9 (1.26) |
47.8 (1.88) |
90.9 (3.58) |
29.0 (1.14) |
38.9 (1.53) |
36.9 (1.45) |
18.9 (0.74) |
17.3 (0.68) |
15.0 (0.59) |
381.0 (15.00) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.3 (0.01) |
0.4 (0.02) |
5.3 (0.21) |
23.1 (0.91) |
43.5 (1.71) |
90.9 (3.58) |
29.0 (1.14) |
38.5 (1.52) |
36.4 (1.43) |
12.1 (0.48) |
3.2 (0.13) |
1.3 (0.05) |
283.8 (11.17) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 16.5 (6.5) |
13.3 (5.2) |
19.1 (7.5) |
8.8 (3.5) |
4.3 (1.7) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.1) |
0.5 (0.2) |
6.8 (2.7) |
14.1 (5.6) |
13.8 (5.4) |
97.4 (38.3) |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Taber's Population and Growth
Taber's population has been growing steadily over the years.
Recent Population Counts
In the 2021 Census, Taber had 8,862 people living there. This was an increase from its 2016 population of 8,428. The town covers an area of 19.32 square kilometers (7.46 square miles).
According to a local count in 2020, Taber's population was 8,711. This was also an increase from the 8,380 people counted in 2015.
In the 2016 Census, Taber had 8,428 residents. This was a jump from 8,104 people in 2011.
Taber's Economy: Farming and Factories
Taber's economy mostly depends on agriculture, which is farming.
What Taber Grows and Produces
Farmers in Taber grow many different crops and raise animals. These include:
- Hogs (pigs)
- Beef cattle
- Sheep
- Poultry (chickens, turkeys)
- Sugar beets
- Potatoes
- Peas
- Carrots
- Wheat
- Flax
- Barley
- Corn
- Beans
- Sunflowers
- Oats
- Onions
- Canola
- Mustard
Local Industries and Businesses
Roger's Sugar is a big sugar beet processing plant in Taber. It was built in 1950 and is now owned by Lantic Inc. This factory is very important to the town's economy.
Taber also has several food processing companies. One example is a Frito-Lay factory. This factory makes many snack products for people across Western Canada. Besides food, sand and gravel are also dug up and used from the area. There is also some oil and gas work, but it's a smaller part of the economy.
Fun and Culture in Taber
Taber has a lively arts and culture scene, especially with its famous Cornfest!
Cornfest: Taber's Big Celebration
Cornfest is a huge summer festival held every year on the last full weekend in August. It's a free family festival and the biggest of its kind in Western Canada! The Taber and District Chamber of Commerce organizes it.
At Cornfest, you can enjoy:
- A midway with rides, booths, and games.
- A stage with live performers.
- Fun corn-themed activities like corn tasting.
- A funny "corn stuffing" contest. Two people team up: one wears a giant coverall, and the other tries to stuff as much corn as possible into it! The team with the most corn wins.
- Local corn farmers enter their best corn in the "Best Corn of the Year" award.
Community Art: The Canada 150 Mural
Taber is home to one of the special Canada 150 Mosaic murals. This mural shows "Tank 77," the town's original name, in a field of corn. Community members helped paint the tiles for the mural. It was revealed in December 2016 and can be seen at the Taber Health Clinic.
Learning in Taber
Taber has several schools for students from kindergarten all the way to grade 12.
Schools and Learning Centers
Education in Taber is managed by the Horizon School Division and the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Division. The two main high schools are W.R. Myers High School and St. Mary's School. Taber also has a Christian School for younger students, from kindergarten to grade 9.
For adults and those looking for more learning, there are other options:
- Community Adult Learning Council
- ACE Place Learning Center
- A Career Resource Centre
Taber's Sister City
Taber has a special connection with a city in Japan called Higashiomi.
A Friendship Across the Ocean
In 1981, the Town of Taber and a Japanese town called Notogawa signed an agreement to become "Twinned Municipalities." This means they became sister towns, sharing culture and friendship. When Notogawa joined with the City of Higashiomi in 2006, Taber and Higashiomi re-signed the agreement to continue their friendship.
Famous People from Taber
Many talented people have come from Taber, including:
- Gavin Crawford: An actor and comedian known for "This Hour Has 22 Minutes."
- Brandon Davidson: A professional ice hockey player.
- Sally Ito: A writer.
- Ron Lloyd: He was the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy from 2016 to 2019.
- Corb Lund: A musician.
- Johnny Longden: A famous jockey and horse trainer.
- Devin Setoguchi: A professional ice hockey player.
- Kenneth B. Storey: A biology professor at Carleton University, recognized as one of the world's most cited scientists.
