Olds, Alberta
Olds | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Olds | |
-1+587 | |
| Highways | Highway 2A Highway 27 |
| Website | Official website |
Olds (/oʊldz/ OHLDZ) is a town in central Alberta, Canada within Mountain View County and the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. It is approximately 61 km (38 mi) south of Red Deer and 90 km (56 mi) north of Calgary. The nearest towns are Didsbury to the south, Bowden to the north, Sundre to the west and Three Hills to the east. Olds is located at the intersection of Highway 27 and Highway 2A, 5 km (3.1 mi) west of the Queen Elizabeth II Highway. The Canadian Pacific Kansas City's main Edmonton-Calgary line runs through the town.
Geography
Olds lies within the Grasslands Natural Region of Alberta. Downtown Olds is about 1,041 m (3,415 ft)
Climate
Olds has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) and falls into the Natural Resources Canada (NRC) Plant Hardiness Zone 3b. The average temperature is around 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) in late July to −10.1 °C (13.8 °F) in mid-January.
Winters are cold with temperatures often dropping to or below −30 °C (−22 °F). These are broken up from the dry Chinook winds from the mountains.
Summers can be hot with temperatures reaching up to 30 °C (86 °F).
| Climate data for Olds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
18.3 (64.9) |
22.8 (73.0) |
29.4 (84.9) |
35.6 (96.1) |
36.1 (97.0) |
37.2 (99.0) |
33.9 (93.0) |
33.9 (93.0) |
30.6 (87.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
19.0 (66.2) |
37.2 (99.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −3.0 (26.6) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
2.3 (36.1) |
10.2 (50.4) |
15.9 (60.6) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.8 (71.2) |
21.9 (71.4) |
16.8 (62.2) |
10.8 (51.4) |
1.6 (34.9) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −8.7 (16.3) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
3.9 (39.0) |
9.4 (48.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
15.6 (60.1) |
15.2 (59.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
4.5 (40.1) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
−7.4 (18.7) |
3.5 (38.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −14.3 (6.3) |
−12.6 (9.3) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
2.9 (37.2) |
7.3 (45.1) |
9.4 (48.9) |
8.4 (47.1) |
3.5 (38.3) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
−8.9 (16.0) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −43.3 (−45.9) |
−43.9 (−47.0) |
−37.2 (−35.0) |
−29.4 (−20.9) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−15.0 (5.0) |
−26.0 (−14.8) |
−34.0 (−29.2) |
−43.3 (−45.9) |
−43.9 (−47.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 17.7 (0.70) |
14.4 (0.57) |
23.0 (0.91) |
23.7 (0.93) |
56.6 (2.23) |
89.8 (3.54) |
66.0 (2.60) |
64.6 (2.54) |
58.3 (2.30) |
18.6 (0.73) |
16.6 (0.65) |
13.3 (0.52) |
492.4 (19.39) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.1 (0.00) |
0.1 (0.00) |
1.9 (0.07) |
12.5 (0.49) |
47.6 (1.87) |
94.2 (3.71) |
89.8 (3.54) |
65.8 (2.59) |
54.0 (2.13) |
9.7 (0.38) |
0.9 (0.04) |
0.2 (0.01) |
376.7 (14.83) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 17.6 (6.9) |
14.3 (5.6) |
21.1 (8.3) |
11.3 (4.4) |
9.1 (3.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.1) |
4.4 (1.7) |
8.9 (3.5) |
15.7 (6.2) |
13.1 (5.2) |
115.7 (45.6) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.08 | 0.12 | 0.42 | 4.2 | 11.2 | 15.2 | 14.2 | 12.4 | 9.7 | 4.2 | 0.35 | 0.19 | 72.1 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 7.6 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.12 | 0.78 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 41.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 7.7 | 6.2 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 12.1 | 15.2 | 14.2 | 12.4 | 10.1 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 111.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 87.4 | 107.2 | 147.1 | 187.5 | 215.8 | 237.1 | 271.7 | 249.7 | 180.8 | 145.3 | 88.9 | 80.0 | 1,998.4 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 33.7 | 38.3 | 40.1 | 45.1 | 44.5 | 47.6 | 54.2 | 55.1 | 47.5 | 43.8 | 33.3 | 32.7 | 43.0 |
| Source: Environment Canada[5]
| |||||||||||||
Flora and fauna
Olds has various species living in and around it including
The majority of fauna consists of livestock like cattle, and poultry. Many surrounding farms keep horses and/or donkeys.
Residential areas and neighbourhoods
The town of Olds is surrounded by residential neighbourhoods with various styles of housing. There are several mobile home parks throughout the town.
Economy
Olds has its own
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Olds had a population of 9,209 living in 3,810 of its 4,096 total private dwellings, a change of 0.3% from its 2016 population of 9,184. With a land area of 14.92 km2 (5.76 sq mi), it had a population density of 617.2/km2 (1,598.6/sq mi) in 2021.[2]
In the
The population of the Town of Olds according to its 2014 municipal census is 8,617, a change of 1.2% from its 2013 municipal census population of 8,511.[8]
Education
Olds has four schools: École Olds Elementary School, École Deer Meadow School, Olds High School, and Holy Trinity Catholic School. Three schools in the area are part of the Chinook's Edge School Division No. 73
École Olds Elementary Schoolis an elementary school containing kindergarten to grade 4. The school contains a small gymnasium with a rock climbing wall. The gym previously doubled as the gymnastics centre for the gymnastics club, which is now located along 25th Ave.
École Deer Meadow School is a junior high school containing grades 5–8. There is a slightly larger gym as well as a music room for the students beginning in the band programs.
Olds High School is a junior/senior high school containing grades 9–12. The school has a gymnasium and fitness centre and a fine arts theatre and is part of the Olds College Campus. The school has a variety of educational programs such as sports, band, shop, drama and stained glass program.
Olds is also home to Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, noted for its agriculture technology programs.[9]
Sport and recreation
Olds is home to many sports teams such as the
Home to two golf courses: Olds Central Highlands 23 hole course, 3 mi (4.8 km) east of Olds, off Highway 27 as well as the brand new 9 Hole Trail Creek Golf course located 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Olds, off Highway 27 that opened in July 2015
The Olds Gymnastics Club has recently migrated from their previous home in the Elementary School to a new building located along 25th Avenue. The building was formerly a Sears Canada building.
Olds houses the 185 Olds Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron. The building was formerly the Olds recreation centre and is now rendered to the squadron. The building is also rented out by many local dance and church programs.
Notable people
- Danielle Lappage, Olympic wrestler, competed in Rio 2016
- Blake Richards, Canadian politician Member of Parliament for Banff-Airdrie (2008- current)
- Jay Rosehill, professional ice hockey player
See also
References
- Alberta Municipal Affairs. 17 June 2016. p. 442. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ a b c "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities)". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "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 9 October 2013.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- Environment Canada—1981 to 2010 Canadian Climate Normals station data, accessed 7 March 2019
- ^ "Internet speed in Olds drawing a crowd | Calgary Herald".
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
- ^ Joseph Ho (5 August 2014). "Slight growth in Olds according to town census numbers". Olds Albertan. Great West Newspapers LP. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
- ^ Olds College
External links
Places adjacent to Olds, Alberta | |
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