Bragg Creek | |
|---|---|
Shopping mall in Bragg Creek | |
Location of Bragg Creek inAlberta | |
| Coordinates:50°57′06″N114°33′34″W / 50.95159°N 114.55951°W /50.95159; -114.55951 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Census division | No. 6 |
| Municipal district | Rocky View County |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| • Reeve | Greg Boehlke |
| • Governing body | Rocky View County Council
|
| Area (2021)[1] | |
| • Land | 1.55 km2 (0.60 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 432 |
| • Density | 278.3/km2 (721/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Area code | +1-403 |
Bragg Creek is ahamlet in southernAlberta under the jurisdiction ofRocky View County[2] inDivision No. 6.
Bragg Creek is located 30 km (19 mi) west ofCalgary (viaHighway 8 andHighway 22) at theconfluence of theElbow River and Bragg Creek north of the intersection ofHighway 66 and Highway 22.
Situated in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, this charming hamlet is steeped in tradition and history. Just a 30-minute drive from Calgary, close to the junctions of Highways 8 and 22, it’s a community of outdoor enthusiasts, artists, ranchers, and local businesses. This eclectic mix of residents coexist in harmony with nature and are proud to call Bragg Creek home.It has been the location of several movies and TV series.

Bragg Creek is popular for shopping, with its quaint shops, restaurants, and mountain scenery.
The area is a popular spot for vacations and short day trips from Calgary. It is near theRocky Mountains andKananaskis Country. TheElbow River and the scenicElbow Falls are a short distance away.
There are many recreational areas in the area. These includeBragg Creek Provincial Park and theCanyon Creek Ice Cave, also known as the Bragg Creek Ice Cave. There are numerous hiking/biking trails, equestrian trails and picnic/camping areas.Downhill skiing used to be popular, although since the abandonment of the nearby downhill ski centre, Wintergeen, onlycross country skiing facilities are available. In recent years the Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association has developed over 140 km (87 mi) of biking, hiking, snowshoeing, and horseback riding trails.[3]
Many summer camps, such as OLQP,Easter Seals Camp Horizon and Kamp Kiwanis are also near Bragg Creek.
The powderface42, amarathon andhalf-marathon takes place in the vicinity every year.[4] Amountain marathon is an event that combines the distance and endurance of a classical marathon with the challenging terrain of a mountain race. Unlike traditional mountain marathons in the UK, this event does not require participants to navigate through the course. Instead, the route is clearly marked and there are water stations along the way. It is similar to a traditional marathon running race in that respect.
Bragg Creek is named after Albert Warren Bragg fromCollingwood, Nova Scotia and his 14-year-old brother John Thomas who homesteaded in the area in 1894. The community was established between a forestry reserve, theTsuut'inaFirst Nationsreserve and aProvincial Park. Ranching was the original primary economic generator in Bragg Creek. The economy diversified with the emergence of recreation in the 1920s.[5]
Back in 1933, Mary Belle and Catherine Barclay, two sisters from Alberta, established the first hostel in a tent in Bragg Creek, just west of Calgary. Together they officially founded and then registered the Canadian Youth Hostel Association in 1938 (now HI Canada) (seehttps://hihostels.ca/en/about).
Lyon Mountain Ski Hill was a small resort located in Alberta, Canada. It opened in 1982 and was named after its builder, Bob Lyon. The resort featured four lifts and 11 runs, most of which were classified as easy or intermediate in difficulty. It was popular with families due to its close proximity to Calgary. In 2003, the resort was closed by its owner at the time, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR). This decision was made due to a combination of factors, including poor snow conditions, aging infrastructure, and a lack of potential for reinvestment. RCR continues to operate the adjacent Wintergreen Golf and Country Club. Over time, most of the ski lifts at Lyon Mountain Ski Hill have been removed and sold. RCR has proposed a large housing development for the area, including single-family homes, villas, and a hotel.[6]
Bragg Creek was featured in the feature filmsStorm (1987) andKiller Image (1992) both directed byDavid Winning, and alsoBetrayed (1988) directed by Costa-Gavras. During the 1990s,CBC aired the television programNorth of 60, which was mainly filmed in Bragg Creek. The town was the filming location for the BBC/Discovery Channel seriesDinosapien (2007) and the 2009CBC Television seriesWild Roses, as well as portions of the movieFUBAR.
In the late spring of 2013, Bragg Creek and areas surrounding the Elbow River were put on a flood watch and eventually voluntary evacuation when the river rose over 2 metres (6 ft 7 in), overflowing and eroding in some places.[citation needed] The majority of Bragg Creek buildings were damaged in this event, as were the majority of houses in nearbyRedwood Meadows.[citation needed] The voluntary evacuation was not met with widespread co-operation, as many residents stayed to battle the flood by building makeshift dams.[citation needed] Bragg Creek has since recovered from the event.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1941 | 26 | — |
| 1951 | 80 | +207.7% |
| 1956 | 35 | −56.2% |
| 1961 | 77 | +120.0% |
| 1966 | 83 | +7.8% |
| 1971 | 203 | +144.6% |
| 1976 | 384 | +89.2% |
| 1981 | 505 | +31.5% |
| 1986 | 498 | −1.4% |
| 1991 | 591 | +18.7% |
| 1991A | 596 | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 651 | +9.2% |
| 2001 | 678 | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 550 | −18.9% |
| 2011 | 595 | +8.2% |
| 2016 | 589 | −1.0% |
| 2016R | 418 | −29.0% |
| 2021 | 432 | +3.3% |
| Source:Statistics Canada [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][1] | ||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Bragg Creek had a population of 432 living in 189 of its 213 total private dwellings, a change of3.3% from its 2016 population of 418. With a land area of 1.55 km2 (0.60 sq mi), it had a population density of278.7/km2 (721.9/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
The population of Bragg Creek according to the2018 municipal census conducted by Rocky View County is 459.[20]
50°57′05.7″N114°33′34.2″W / 50.951583°N 114.559500°W /50.951583; -114.559500 (Bragg Creek)