Eckville

History

Eckville gets its name from A. E. T. Eckford, a European colonist. Eckville relocated to its current location in 1912, after the Canadian Northern Railway completed its local line. The current location on the Canadian Northern Railway was briefly known as Kootuk, but the name Eckville prevailed. Eckville was incorporated as a village in 1921 and became a town in 1966. Eckville had a significant Estonian population, with 171 Estonians living there by 1910.

Geography

Climate

Eckville experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) which borders on a subarctic climate (Dfc). |Jan record high C = 14.0 |Feb record high C = 19.0 |Mar record high C = 23.5 |Apr record high C = 33.3 |May record high C = 31.5 |Jun record high C = 32.5 |Jul record high C = 33.9 |Aug record high C = 33.5 |Sep record high C = 32.0 |Oct record high C = 28.5 |Nov record high C = 22.2 |Dec record high C = 16.0 |year record high C = 33.9 |Jan record low C = -45.6 |Feb record low C = -42.5 |Mar record low C = -36.1 |Apr record low C = -24.4 |May record low C = -9.0 |Jun record low C = -2.5 |Jul record low C = 0.0 |Aug record low C = -4.0 |Sep record low C = -10.0 |Oct record low C = -29.0 |Nov record low C = -37.5 |Dec record low C = -44.4 |year record low C = -45.6

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Eckville had a population of 1,014 living in 425 of its 472 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 1,125. With a land area of 1.61 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Eckville recorded a population of 1,125 living in 443 of its 465 total private dwellings, which represents no change from its 2011 population of 1,125. With a land area of 1.6 km2, it had a population density of in 2016.

Culture

Eckville is home to several festivals and events throughout the year:

• Eckville Indoor Rodeo
• Bull-arena
• Eckville 50s & 60s Dance Jamboree
• Canada Day celebrations
• Eckville Winter Carnival
• Tree-lighting Ceremony

Education

Eckville has two public schools, Eckville Junior/Senior High School and Eckville Elementary. The town is relatively close to Sylvan Lake and many students from Eckville attend schools there. Eckville is also a short drive from Red Deer College.

Eckville Junior/Senior High School attracted national attention in 1984 when history teacher and vice-principal James Keegstra was charged under the Criminal Code of Canada for teaching his students antisemitic material, including Holocaust denial. Keegstra was stripped of his teaching credentials and convicted. His appeals eventually reached the Supreme Court of Canada in 1990, where his conviction was upheld in R v Keegstra. Keegstra was mayor of Eckville at the time, but was defeated in a subsequent election.

Notable people

• Mellisa Hollingsworth, Olympic medalist in skeleton
• James Keegstra, former mayor, convicted of hate speech in a landmark Canadian legal case

References

References

1. Town of Eckville. "Town Council".
2. Town of Eckville. "Town Council".
3. (7 October 2016). "Location and History Profile: Town of Eckville". [[Alberta Municipal Affairs]].
4. (January 2012). "Alberta Private Sewage Systems 2009 Standard of Practice Handbook: Appendix A.3 Alberta Design Data (A.3.A. Alberta Climate Design Data by Town)". Safety Codes Council.
5. (1928). "Place-names of Alberta". Geographic Board of Canada..
6. (February 24, 1999). "Estonians Have Lived in Area for 100 Years". Red Deer Advocate.
7. (9 February 2022). "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities)". [[Statistics Canada]].
8. (8 February 2017). "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". [[Statistics Canada]].