Bowden | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Bowden | |
  Bowden Location of Bowden inAlberta | |
| Coordinates:51°55′50″N114°01′32″W / 51.93056°N 114.02556°W /51.93056; -114.02556 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census division | 8 |
| Municipal district | Red Deer County |
| Incorporated[1] | |
| • Village | June 17, 1904 |
| • Town | September 1, 1981 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Robb Stuart |
| • Governing body | Bowden Town Council |
| • CAO | Rudy Friesen |
| • MP | Blaine Calkins |
| • MLA | Devin Dreeshen |
| Area (2021)[3] | |
| • Land | 3.46 km2 (1.34 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 991 m (3,251 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,280 |
| • Density | 370.2/km2 (959/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Postal code span | |
| Area code | +1-403 |
| Website | Official website |
Bowden/ˈboʊdən/ is atown incentral Alberta, Canada. It is located inRed Deer County on theQueen Elizabeth II Highway, approximately 45 km (28 mi) south ofRed Deer.
The community may take its name fromBowdon, Greater Manchester, in England. A provincial Alberta Land Surveyor reference relates this alternate name source, "The most widely accepted version says that a surveyor named Williamson suggested that this siding on the Edmonton-Calgary Trail take the maiden name of his wife."[6][7]
During theWorld War II an area of land 4 kilometres north of the town was appropriated by theRoyal Canadian Air Force for construction of an Air Training Base.RCAF Station Bowden was home to No. 32 Elementary Flying Train School (EFTS).[8][9]
After the war the site was converted to theBowden Institution, originally as a provincial facility. In 1974 it was converted to aCorrections Canada medium security penitentiary.[10]
The town describes itself as abedroom community,[11] meaning a large proportion of the working population commutes to other employment centres, including Red Deer andCalgary.
Nearby communities includeInnisfail to the north,Caroline to the west,Huxley to the east andOlds to the south.
| Climate data for Bowden | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.8 (55.0) | 14.4 (57.9) | 19.4 (66.9) | 28.9 (84.0) | 30.6 (87.1) | 33.3 (91.9) | 34.4 (93.9) | 32.8 (91.0) | 34.4 (93.9) | 29.0 (84.2) | 22.2 (72.0) | 13.9 (57.0) | 34.4 (93.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −8 (18) | −2.9 (26.8) | 1.2 (34.2) | 9.6 (49.3) | 16.5 (61.7) | 20.0 (68.0) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.1 (71.8) | 16.7 (62.1) | 11.9 (53.4) | 1.3 (34.3) | −6 (21) | 8.7 (47.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −13.6 (7.5) | −8.6 (16.5) | −4.4 (24.1) | 3.4 (38.1) | 9.6 (49.3) | 13.6 (56.5) | 15.7 (60.3) | 15.0 (59.0) | 9.9 (49.8) | 4.9 (40.8) | −4.3 (24.3) | −11.6 (11.1) | 2.5 (36.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −19.4 (−2.9) | −14.5 (5.9) | −10 (14) | −2.9 (26.8) | 2.6 (36.7) | 7.1 (44.8) | 8.9 (48.0) | 7.8 (46.0) | 3.2 (37.8) | −2.1 (28.2) | −10 (14) | −17.2 (1.0) | −3.9 (25.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −45.6 (−50.1) | −42 (−44) | −39.4 (−38.9) | −22.8 (−9.0) | −12.8 (9.0) | −2.8 (27.0) | 1.1 (34.0) | −1.1 (30.0) | −8.3 (17.1) | −24.5 (−12.1) | −33.3 (−27.9) | −44.4 (−47.9) | −45.6 (−50.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 27.3 (1.07) | 19.2 (0.76) | 20.6 (0.81) | 25.4 (1.00) | 58.5 (2.30) | 89.1 (3.51) | 90.1 (3.55) | 59.5 (2.34) | 53.9 (2.12) | 22.3 (0.88) | 18.5 (0.73) | 27.5 (1.08) | 511.7 (20.15) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 1.0 (0.04) | 0.3 (0.01) | 1.7 (0.07) | 10.4 (0.41) | 55.0 (2.17) | 89.0 (3.50) | 90.1 (3.55) | 59.5 (2.34) | 50.3 (1.98) | 12.0 (0.47) | 1.3 (0.05) | 0.0 (0.0) | 370.6 (14.59) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 26.3 (10.4) | 18.9 (7.4) | 18.9 (7.4) | 15.0 (5.9) | 3.5 (1.4) | 0.1 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 3.5 (1.4) | 10.3 (4.1) | 17.2 (6.8) | 27.5 (10.8) | 141.0 (55.5) |
| Source:Environment Canada[12] | |||||||||||||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, the Town of Bowden had a population of 1,280 living in 584 of its 622 total private dwellings, a change of3.2% from its 2016 population of 1,240. With a land area of 3.46 km2 (1.34 sq mi), it had a population density of369.9/km2 (958.1/sq mi) in 2021.[3]
In the2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Bowden recorded a population of 1,240 living in 524 of its 581 total private dwellings, a-0.1% change from its 2011 population of 1,241. With a land area of 2.8 km2 (1.1 sq mi), it had a population density of442.9/km2 (1,147.0/sq mi) in 2016.[13]
Bowden has a nine-hole golf course with a licensed clubhouse.[14] The Paterson Community Centre and the Friendship Centre provide venues for family and community functions. The Pioneer Museum offers an insight into past community life and the past history of the Town.[15] The pioneer museum features photographs by the local photographer Bob Hoare, who documented local residents around the turn of the twentieth century.[16]
Places adjacent to Bowden, Alberta | |
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