Milk River, Alberta

For other uses, see Milk River (disambiguation).
Milk River
Town
Town of Milk River

Aerial view of the Town of Milk River and Highway 4
Motto: Under Eight Flags
Milk River
Coordinates: 49°08′56″N 112°05′14″W / 49.14889°N 112.08722°W / 49.14889; -112.08722Coordinates: 49°08′56″N 112°05′14″W / 49.14889°N 112.08722°W / 49.14889; -112.08722
Country  Canada
Province  Alberta
Region Southern Alberta
Census division 2
Municipal district County of Warner No. 5
Incorporated[1]  
 • Village July 11, 1916
 • Town February 7, 1956
Government[2]
 • Mayor David Hawco
 • Governing body Milk River Town Council
Area (2011)[3]
 • Total 2.39 km2 (0.92 sq mi)
Elevation[4] 1,059 m (3,474 ft)
Population (2011)[3]
 • Total 811
 • Density 340/km2 (880/sq mi)
Time zone MST (UTC-7)
Postal code span T0K 1M0
Highways Highway 4
Highway 501
Waterway Milk River
Website www.milkriver.ca

Milk River is a town in the province of Alberta, Canada, named after the Milk River which flows immediately to its south. This location results in Milk River being one of the few Canadian communities within the Mississippi River drainage system. It is 70 kilometres (43 mi) south of Lethbridge, and 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from the Canada-U.S. border. It is primarily a service centre for the many farms and cattle ranches which surround it.

History

Grain elevators in Milk River.

The Milk River area was first settled around the beginning of the 20th century. Milk River was incorporated as a village on July 31, 1916, and then a town on March 15, 1956.[5]

The town's motto, "Under Eight Flags", refers to the area having been under the flags of seven governments as well as the Hudson's Bay Company.[5] Including the Hudson's Bay Company's flag (1818–1869), the eight flags are France (1682–1762), the Spanish Empire (1762–1800), the French Republic (1800–1803), the United States (1803–1818), the British Empire (1869–1945), the Canadian Red Ensign (1945–1965), and the current Canadian Maple Leaf (1965–present).[5]

Geography

Climate

The nearest weather station is in Masinasin, Alberta, which is approximately 36 km (22 mi) away.

Climate data for Masinasin, Alberta
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 17
(63)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 31.5
(88.7)		 33.5
(92.3)		 37
(99)		 39
(102)		 41
(106)		 37
(99)		 31
(88)		 24
(75)		 17.5
(63.5)		 41
(106)
Average high °C (°F) −1.3
(29.7)		 2.2
(36)		 6.7
(44.1)		 13.9
(57)		 19.5
(67.1)		 23.6
(74.5)		 27.5
(81.5)		 27.3
(81.1)		 20.7
(69.3)		 13.9
(57)		 4.1
(39.4)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 13
(55)
Daily mean °C (°F) −7.1
(19.2)		 −3.9
(25)		 0.6
(33.1)		 6.7
(44.1)		 11.9
(53.4)		 16.1
(61)		 19.1
(66.4)		 18.8
(65.8)		 13.1
(55.6)		 7.1
(44.8)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 −7.6
(18.3)		 6.1
(43)
Average low °C (°F) −12.8
(9)		 −10.1
(13.8)		 −5.6
(21.9)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 4.3
(39.7)		 8.6
(47.5)		 10.6
(51.1)		 10.2
(50.4)		 5.4
(41.7)		 0.1
(32.2)		 −7.2
(19)		 −13.3
(8.1)		 −0.9
(30.4)
Record low °C (°F) −39
(−38)		 −36.5
(−33.7)		 −35
(−31)		 −18.5
(−1.3)		 −6.5
(20.3)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 2
(36)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 −8
(18)		 −27
(−17)		 −34.5
(−30.1)		 −41
(−42)		 −41
(−42)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 21.3
(0.839)		 15.1
(0.594)		 36
(1.42)		 31.4
(1.236)		 55.6
(2.189)		 66.6
(2.622)		 37.3
(1.469)		 40.1
(1.579)		 39.4
(1.551)		 23.3
(0.917)		 22
(0.87)		 19.1
(0.752)		 407.2
(16.031)
Source: 1971-2000 Environment Canada[6]

Demographics

In the 2011 Census, the Town of Milk River had a population of 811 living in 357 of its 418 total dwellings, a -0.6% change from its 2006 population of 816. With a land area of 2.39 km2 (0.92 sq mi), it had a population density of 339.3/km2 (878.9/sq mi) in 2011.[3]

The population of the Town of Milk River according to its 2007 municipal census is 846.[7]

In 2006, Milk River had a population of 816 living in 443 dwellings, a 7.2% decrease from 2001. The town has a land area of 2.39 km2 (0.92 sq mi) and a population density of 341.7/km2 (885/sq mi).[8]

Attractions

Recreation venues in Milk River include a nine-hole golf course, curling rink, swimming pool and skateboard park.

Attractions within the surrounding region that are proximate to Milk River include the following.

Devil's Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum

The Devil's Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum[9] features a Hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur) nest and embryo, ancient fossils, dinosaur models.

Galt Historic Railway Park

The Galt Historic Railway Park located 1 km north of Stirling is another popular museum which displays of life and travel in the 1880s to 1920s are set up in the restored 1890 North West Territories International Train Station from Coutts, Alberta, Canada and Sweetgrass, Montana, USA. The station was moved to the current location near Stirling in 2000 and is added onto every year. Future plans to move the 1925 Oglvie grain elevator from Wrentham for display along the station in the 36-acre (150,000 m2) park is still in the planning stages.

Stirling Agricultural Village

Stirling Agricultural Village is a National Historic Site of Canada, and was listed as one of only three communities in Canada designated as a National Historic Site because of the community’s well preserved settlement pattern that follows the Plat of Zion model.[10] Located within the village are two museums the Michelsen Farmstead a totally restored 1900s home showcasing rual life in Alberta in the 1930s. Listed as a Provincial Historic Site in 2001.,[11] and the Galt Historic Railway Park.

Waterton Lakes National Park

Waterton Lakes National Park is a National Park located in the extreme southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, 40 km west of Cardston, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton Lakes was Canada's fourth National Park formed in 1895. The Rocky Mountains rise suddenly out of the rolling prairies in the park. Amid the peaks are the three Waterton Lakes, carved out of the rock by ancient glaciers.

Writing On Stone Provincial Park

Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, is one of the largest areas of protected prairie in the Alberta park system, and serves as both a nature preserve and protection for the largest concentration of rock art, created by Plains People. There are over 50 rock art sites, with thousands of figures, as well as numerous archeological sites.

Government

The town is governed by a town council composed of a mayor and four councillors. Municipal elections are held every four years.

Infrastructure

The town is connected to two highways: Highway 4, which heads south to Interstate 15 and north to Lethbridge, and Highway 501, which heads west to Cardston and east to Saskatchewan. Air service is provided by Milk River Airport and rail service is offered through Canadian Pacific Railway.

Milk River Health Centre

Milk River Health Centre
Alberta Health Services

Milk River Health Centre's emergency entrance
Geography
Location Milk River, Alberta, Canada
Organization
Care system Medicare
Hospital type General, Teaching
Affiliated university Faculty of Medicine of the University of Calgary
Services
Emergency department Yes
Beds 21 LTC, 3 community support, 0 inpatient
Links
Website http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/facilities.asp?pid=facility&rid=3316

Health services are provided by the Milk River and District Health Centre. The hospital offers 24/7 emergency department services with on call laboratory and diagnostic imaging services. Between 2005-2008, the emergency department averaged 1,351 visits per year. The top three reasons for emergency visits in Milk River ranked in order of presentation are respiratory, digestive and musculoskeletal complaints. The tertiary referral centre for the hospital is Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge.[12][13]

Education

Milk River has two schools – Milk River Elementary School and Erle Rivers High School.

Media

The Milk River Review was a weekly newspaper that was published between November 11, 1948 and May 27, 1954. It continued as a weekly throughout its run as The Review from June 17, 1954 to August 21, 1958, and again under the title of County of Warner Review and Advertiser between September 1, 1958 and March 30, 1961. Finally, the weekly newspaper returned to its original name, running as the Milk River Review from June 1, 1961 through to November 16, 1961.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Location and History Profile: Town of Milk River" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. October 7, 2016. p. 400. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Municipal Officials Search". Alberta Municipal Affairs. November 18, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  4. ↑ "Alberta Private Sewage Systems 2009 Standard of Practice Handbook: Appendix A.3 Alberta Design Data (A.3.A. Alberta Climate Design Data by Town)" (PDF) (PDF). Safety Codes Council. January 2012. pp. 212–215 (PDF pages 226–229). Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 "Eight Flags Under the Prairie Sun". Town of Milk River Alberta. Milk River. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  6. ↑ Environment Canada—1971–2000. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  7. ↑ Alberta Municipal Affairs (2009-09-15). "Alberta 2009 Official Population List" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  8. ↑ Statistics Canada. "Canada 2006 Census: Milk River - Community Profile". Archived from the original on 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
  9. ↑ Village of Warner. "Devil's Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum". Archived from the original on 2007-07-29. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
  10. ↑ Parks Canada (June 2007). "Village of Stirling National Historic Site". Archived from the original on 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2007-11-13.
  11. ↑ Village of Stirling. "Michelsen Farmstead". Archived from the original on 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2007-11-13.
  12. ↑ http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/PatientsFamilies/if-pf-3yr-community-plan-milk-river.pdf
  13. ↑ http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/facilities.asp?pid=facility&rid=3316
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