Vermilion | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Vermilion | |
  Vermilion Location of Vermilion inAlberta | |
| Coordinates:53°21′15″N110°51′10″W / 53.35417°N 110.85278°W /53.35417; -110.85278 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census division | 10 |
| Municipal district | County of Vermilion River |
| Founded | 1902 |
| Incorporated | 1906 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Robert Snow |
| • Governing body | Vermilion Town Council |
| Area (2021)[2] | |
| • Land | 12.72 km2 (4.91 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 580 m (1,900 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 3,948 |
| • Density | 310.4/km2 (804/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Forward sortation area | |
| Area code | +1-780 |
| Highways | Highway 16 Highway 41 |
| Waterway | Vermilion River |
| Website | Official website |
Vermilion is a town incentral Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by theCounty of Vermilion River. It is at the intersection ofHighway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) andHighway 41 (Buffalo Trail), approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) west ofLloydminster and 192 kilometres (119 mi) east ofEdmonton.
It was not until 1902 that a significant number of settlers arrived in this area of Alberta, mostly of British ethnic background coming from the east. Just west of Vermilion is the line between British and those of Ukrainian ethnic background having travelled mostly from the west.
In 1904, apost office was established atBreage approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) east of the present townsite.[5]
In 1905, theCanadian Northern Railway arrived and a station was built. The post office was relocated from Breage. Throughout the days of steam, the railway was important to Vermilion. Vermilion was used as adivisional point. It had awater tower to resupply engines, a largeroundhouse, an extensive yard, awye, aturntable, and abunkhouse for engine crews. With the decline of steam power in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the railway became less important.
In early 1906, Vermilion was incorporated as a village and then as a town later in the same year. The nameVermilion comes from the red clay found in the river valley. In fact, one of the first businesses in Vermilion was the brick factory which operated from 1906 until 1914. Some Vermilion buildings built from brick from this factory are still standing.
The first newspaper to publish in the Vermilion area was theVermilion Signal which was founded and edited byWilliam Bleasdell Cameron. (a survivor of theFrog Lake Massacre).[6] In 1909, S.R.P. Cooper established theVermilion Standard, which continues to publish to this day.
In 1911, the provincial government established three demonstration farms nearOlds,Fairview, and just west of the Vermilion townsite. The Vermilion Board of Trade had lobbied the government for a demonstration farm and or college. When the Vermilion School of Agriculture officially opened on November 17, 1913, it became the first of the provincial agricultural colleges to open its door. The Vermilion School of Agriculture has had several name changes in the intervening years including Vermilion Agricultural and Vocational College and Vermilion College before becomingLakeland College in 1975.[citation needed]
Like other communities on the prairies in the early years of the 20th century, Vermilion experienced an extensive fire. Occurring on April 10, 1918, the fire destroyed 28 stores and business blocks.[5]
Two Vermilion businesses have operated since before the town was incorporated. Craig's, a department store, and Long's, a drugstore, have been at the same downtown locations since 1905.[citation needed]
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, the Town of Vermilion had a population of 3,948 living in 1,678 of its 1,976 total private dwellings, a change of-3.3% from its 2016 population of 4,084. With a land area of 12.72 km2 (4.91 sq mi), it had a population density of310.4/km2 (803.9/sq mi) in 2021.[2]
The population of the Town of Vermilion according to its2017 municipal census is 4,150,[7] a change of-8.7% from its2012 municipal census population of 4,545.[8]
In the2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Vermilion recorded a population of 4,084 living in 1,753 of its 1,988 total private dwellings, a3.9% change from its 2011 population of 3,930. With a land area of 12.93 km2 (4.99 sq mi), it had a population density of315.9/km2 (818.1/sq mi) in 2016.[9]
The Mayor of the Town of Vermilion is Robert SnowThe Council for the Town of Vermilion is Paul Conlon, Justin Clark, Bruce Macduff, Kevin Martin, Sherry Martin, and Kellen Snelgrovehttps://www.vermilion.ca/council-administration/mayor-council/
The economy is largely driven by the service industry to agriculture and oilfield, with Education (Lakeland College) being a secondary economic driver.Situated at the intersection of Hwy 16 and Hwy 41 and being within an hour drive of most of the larger communities east of Edmonton to Saskatchewan, Vermilion has started to see more economic activity centered around various service industries. Vermilion's historic downtown is one of the last remaining traditional prairie downtowns. It includes many century old buildings that house a variety of locally owned businesses that range from large farm implement dealerships, clothing and outdoors boutiques, to plumbers, restaurants, and a modern large Co-op grocery store.
The Vermilion Agricultural Society hosts one of the largest and oldest agricultural fairs in western Canada. The annual Vermilion Fair, which started in 1906, begins with a parade on Thursday morning and lasts a total of three days the last weekend in July.[10]Vermilion is home to the main campus of Lakeland College, that includes the Alumni Theatre which hosts various concerts and recitals throughout the year through local clubs such as the Vermilion Folk Club, Vermilion Allied Arts, and others.
TheVermilion Provincial Park is located on the northwest side of the town. It includes camping, fishing, canoeing and trails for hiking, cycling and cross-country skiing.[11]
The town has two public schools: Vermilion Elementary (K-6) and J.R. Robson Secondary (7–12), and one Catholic school, St. Jerome's School[12] (K-12). The School of Hope, a home school, has its central office in Vermilion.[citation needed]
The town also attracts students from throughout Canada toLakeland College.[13] Lakeland offers certificate, diploma, applied degree, university transfer, apprenticeship, and pre-employment programs. Programming at the Vermilion campus includes agricultural sciences, business, environmental sciences, fire and emergency response, human services, interior design technology, and trades and technology. Lakeland's residence village is home to more than 500 students.
Vermilion's local weekly newspapers are the coffee news,[14]Vermilion Standard[15] and theVermilion and Area Voice.[16]
Places adjacent to Vermilion, Alberta | |
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53°21′15″N110°51′10″W / 53.35417°N 110.85278°W /53.35417; -110.85278 (Vermilion)
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