South Peace Historical Society

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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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16-008: Beaverlodge

“A growing town in the growing Peace River Country”.
The town is named after the Beaverlodge River, which flows within one and a half miles southwest of the town. The name Beaverlodge is derived from “Lodge” or temporary dwelling, of the Beaver Indians. In 1908, prior to the township survey, the first permanent settlers arrived and took up squatters’ rights in the Beaverlodge valley.

The first Post Office was established in 1910. It was named Redlow, because the name Beaverlodge had already been given to the office at Lake Saskatoon. With the arrival of the railway in 1928 a new townsite was created about one mile northwest of the original hamlet and about 100 buildings were moved.

A 10-bed Hospital was built in 1938, a new 20-bed hospital in 1956. A further 10-bed addition was opened in 1967. The town also served as a centre for a large agricultural area, the Research Station, Canada Department of Agriculture, founded in 1917, the Armed Forces Station located on Saskatoon Mountain, established in 1953.

The town is administered by a Mayor and 6 Councilors. The municipal secretary, Town foreman and staff carry out the policies set by the Council. Their offices are located in the Town Hall. The current mill rate is 69, one of the lowest in Alberta.

The Town is policed by the R.C.M.P. Dogs may run free on the owner’s property but otherwise they must be on a leash. All dogs must be licensed.

Parking is free. There are no meters, but your cooperation is requested in observing the 24-hour limit.

Air – C.P. Air and Northern Thunderbird – twice daily (Grande Prairie airport).

Bus – Greyhound – twice daily. Train – N.A.R. – twice weekly.

The town is protected by a well equipped Fire Department under the appointed Fire Chief, Frank Anderson, and a crew of 32 volunteer firemen.

Two thirds of the Town streets are paved. In addition to Town-operated water and sewer systems, the Town is served with electric power by Alberta Power, and natural gas from Northwestern Utilities. The monthly rates are as follows:

Power-residential……..1st 30 KWH – $2.60 minimum.

next 20 KWH – 4.2¢

next 150 KWH – 3.2¢

next 400 KWH – 2.25¢

excess – 1.7¢

 

Natural Gas – 1st 2mcf – $3.00

additional mcf – .76¢

Water – $4.50 per month flat rate, Sewer – $2.50 per month

Garbage is collected once a week provided it is in a container not exceeding 30 gallons in capacity, and is equipped with a proper cover and handles. Combustible garbage is to be burned in a 45-gallon steel container and the ashes transferred to smaller containers for pick-up. NO CHARGE IS MADE FOR GARBAGE PICK-UP.

Health Services:

Ambulance……………………………………………………….. 354-2154

Hospital (30 beds)…………………………………………….. 354-2097

Health Unit (every Friday 8:30 to 12 noon……………..354-2647

by appointment)

(Baby clinic 2nd Thursday of each Month)

Doctors (R.E. Jarvis and David Miller)…………………354-2540

Dentist – (Dr. Harry Snatic)…………………………………..354-2464

 

Communications:

Alberta Government Telephones

Post Office –

Radio Stations — Grande Prairie (CFGP) 1050

Dawson Creek (CJDC) 1350

Peace River (CKYL) 610

 

TV Stations — Grande Prairie (CBXT-TV) Channel 10

Grande Prairie (CTV) Channel 13

Dawson Creek (CJDC-TV) Channel 5

 

Newspapers — Weekly – The Advertiser (Beaverlodge)

Daily – The Herald Tribune (Grande Prairie)

– Journal (Edmonton)

There are a number of churches in Beaverlodge, including Anglican, Church of Christ, C & M Alliance,- Jehovah Witness, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and United. Four schools serve the area: 1 elementary school, a regional junior high school, a regional senior high school and St. Mary’s separate school (grades 1-9)

The social centre of the Town and District is the Community Centre, built in 1947. It contains a theater, dance hall, lodge rooms, library, rifle range, confectionery concession and handicraft centre. The 30 piece band is the only self-supporting

Community band in the Province. The Library is a major feature in our Town, located in the Community Centre. Music is available in school, church and band programs and

several qualified teachers give private lessons.

Sports facilities include the Sports Park with Ball Diamonds and Horse Race Track, Golf Course, Curling Rink, Tennis and Basketball Courts, Arena, Swimming Pool, and Playgrounds. Hunting and Fishing are readily available in the region.

There are some Annual Activities — the Beaver Winter Days in February; the Beaverlodge Sports Day on the May 24 holiday, the Stampede (Rio Grande) on the July 1 holiday and the County Fair (Grande Prairie) on the August civic holiday

The main shopping area downtown provides a wide range of goods and services. Food, hardware, appliances, furniture, dry goods, laundromat, lumber yard, automotive agencies, beauty parlor and barber shop are among the more common. Others include blacksmith and welding, liquor store, plumber, electrician, licensed lounge, and mail order outlets.

Additional Information:

Location – 55º 13′ N, 119º 22’ W (300 miles northwest of Edmonton, 27 miles west of Grande Prairie.)

Population – 1300 and growing

Elevation – 2400 feet

Long-term climatic averages:

Yearly temperature 35.4ºF

Precipitation (Total) 18.2 inches

Snow 72 inches

Frost-free period (32ºF) 101 days

Killing frost-free period (28ºF) 134 days

(Mean temp. over 42ºF) 156 days

Length of growing season

(Mean temp. over 42 F)

Bright sunshine 1307 hrs.

 

We are At Your Service

Mayor – Bob Elliott

Sec-Treas. – Allen Flom

Councilors -Mrs. Pearl Cook – Senior Citizens

-Esdale Gaudin – Public Works

-Arnold Hennig – Protection

-Rex Marshall – Social Services

-Art McCarty – Recreation

-Jim Rycroft – Utilities

Country School Committee – John Archer

Hospital Board – Pete Pankiw

Town Foreman – Jim Walker

Fire Chief – Frank Anderson

 

« 16-007: Northern Alberta Railways Company

16-009: Mr. Harry H. Reynolds »

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