Wheatland County, Alberta

History

On January 1, 1955, Improvement District No. 41, part of Improvement District No. 42, part of the Municipal Districts of Bow Valley No. 40, Serviceberry No. 43, and Kneehill No. 48, were merged into one new municipal district to be known as the Municipal District of Wheatland No. 40 for the first time.

The Municipal District of Wheatland No. 40 and the Wheatland School Division No. 40 joined on January 1, 1961, and became known as the County of Wheatland No. 16.

On March 6, 1996, the name was changed from the County of Wheatland No. 16 to the name currently used, https://www.wheatlandcounty.ca/Wheatland County.

Geography

Communities and localities

The following urban municipalities are surrounded by Wheatland County. ;Cities

• none ;Towns
• Strathmore ;Villages
• Hussar
• Rockyford
• Standard ;Summer villages
• none The following hamlets are located within Wheatland County. ;Hamlets
• Ardenode
• Carseland
• Chancellor
• Cheadle
• Cluny
• Dalum
• Gleichen
• Lyalta
• Namaka
• Nightingale
• Redland
• Rosebud The following localities are located within Wheatland County. ;Localities
• Baintree
• Bartstow
• Caruso
• Crowfoot
• Dunshalt
• Eagle Lake
• Gayford
• Grierson
• Grieseach
• Hamlet
• Hawick
• Makepeace
• Phidias
• Rosebud Creek
• Stobart
• Strangmuir
• Towers
• Tudor The following Hutterite colonies are located within Wheatland County.
• Hillview Colony
• Hutterian Brethren Colony
• Mountain View Colony
• Rideland Colony
• Rosebud Colony
• Springvale Colony
• Stahlville Colony
• Standard Colony
• Sunshine Colony
• Twin Creek Colony
• Wheatland Colony
• Wintering Hills Colony

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wheatland County had a population of 8,738 living in 2,842 of its 3,108 total private dwellings. With a land area of 4505.05 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Attractions After the sod turning in 2016, the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre opened its doors to the public on February 23, 2019. The unique partnership between Golden Hills School Division #75, the Town of Strathmore, and Wheatland County made the project possible. The facility will serve as a regional recreational centre for visitors and residents of Strathmore and Wheatland County. The facility offers an indoor space to play soccer, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, badminton, pickleball, and walking/running on the indoor track.

The Hamlet of Rosebud is home to the Rosebud Theatre and School of the Arts (Alberta's only professional rural theatre) and regular performances are held. Rosebud is also home to the annual Chamber Music Festival, several art galleries, gift shops and the county's only public museum, Rosebud Centennial Museum.

Wheatland County has three golf courses. The Oxbow Country Golf Course is a 9-hole course, while Speargrass Golf Course and Muirfield Lakes Golf Club are 18-hole courses.

Community Halls within Wheatland County: Carseland Community Hall | Crowfoot Community Centre | Cheadle Hall Dalum Community Hall | Gleichen & District Community Hall Hussar Community Hall | Lyalta Community Centre and Recreation Facility | Namaka Community Hall | Nightingale Hall Strathmore Centennial Civic Centre | Rosebud Memorial Hall | Rockyford Community Hall | Standard Community Hall |

Education

Wheatland County is part of the Golden Hills School Division.

There are two schools within Wheatland County boundaries: Carseland School (elementary), and Wheatland Crossing School (K-12).

Carseland School is one of the oldest schools in the region. It was originally built in 1930 then rebuilt in 1993. It serves the hamlet of approximately 700 people as well as the surrounding rural area.

The Wheatland Crossing School is located in rural Wheatland County and serves students living in Rockyford, Rosebud, Standard, Cluny, Gleichen, Hussar, and east Wheatland. The official grand opening for Wheatland Crossing took place on September 26, 2017.

Located in Strathmore, Alberta, there are additional schools belonging to the Golden Hills School Division. There are three elementary schools (Wheatland, Westmount, and Brentwood), one junior high school (Crowther Memorial Junior High School), and one high school (Strathmore High School). In 2018, a new regional K-12 school (George Freeman) opened and will be serving Strathmore and rural Wheatland County students.

Christ the Redeemer Catholic School Division also provides education services to the region with a K-6 School (Sacred Heart Academy) and grade 7 to 12 school (Holy Cross Collegiate) in Strathmore.

In September 2008, Trinity Christian Academy opened at the former Covenant Bible College property in Strathmore. Trinity Christian is a Christian school providing Kindergarten through grade 9 and is publicly funded.

Economy

The economy of Wheatland County is dominated by agriculture and the oil and gas industry.

There are two industrial areas in the county.

In August 2022, De Havilland Canada (DHC) had to decommission its Downsview, Toronto, manufacturing facility, as the underlying land had been sold for redevelopment.

The Infinite WC is the economic development brand for Wheatland County.

References

References

1. {{Wheatland County Council (Alberta). ref
2. "Municipal Affairs: Municipal Officials Search". Government of Alberta.
4. "Wheatland County History - Wheatland County".
5. {{AltaML
6. (2010-03-05). "Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) 2006, Economic Regions: 4805012 - Wheatland County, geographical codes and localities, 2006". [[Statistics Canada]].
7. (February 9, 2022). "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities)". [[Statistics Canada]].
8. "Communities Archives - Wheatland County".
9. "Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre - Town of Strathmore".
10. "Rosebud.ca - Worth the Drive".
11. [http://www.ghsd75.ca/ Golden Hills School Division]
12. [http://www.carselandschool.com/ Carseland School]
13. [http://wheatlandcrossing.ghsd75.ca/ Wheatland Crossing School]
14. Jang, Brent. (January 2024). "De Havilland Canada confident in location for new manufacturing plant despite concerns".