| Drumheller | |||
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| — Town — | |||
| Town of Drumheller | |||
| The view out of "World's Largest Dinosaur" across Drumheller | |||
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Drumheller
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | Alberta | ||
| Region | Southern Alberta | ||
| Census division | 5 | ||
| Incorporated | 1930 (city) | ||
| Re-Incorporated | 1997 (town) | ||
| Government[1] | |||
| • Mayor | Terry Yemen | ||
| • Governing body |
Drumheller Town Council
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| • CAO | Ray Romanetz | ||
| • MP | Kevin Sorenson (Crowfoot) | ||
| • MLA | Jack Hayden (Drumheller-Stettler) | ||
| Area[2] | |||
| • Total | 110.93 km2 (42.8 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 670 m (2,198 ft) | ||
| Population (2006)[2] | |||
| • Total | 7,932 | ||
| • Density | 73.5/km2 (190.4/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) | ||
| Postal code span | T0J | ||
| Area code(s) | +1-403 | ||
| Website | Official municipal site | ||
Drumheller ( /drʌmˈhɛlər/) is a town (formerly a city) within the Red Deer River valley in the badlands of east-central Alberta, Canada. It is located 110 kilometres (68 mi) northeast of Calgary. The Drumheller portion of the Red Deer River valley, often referred to as Dinosaur Valley, has an approximate width of 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and an approximate length of 28 kilometres (17 mi).
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The town is named for Colonel Samuel Drumheller, who bought land in 1910 and started coal mining operations here in 1911. Drumheller became a railway station in 1912, a village in 1913, a town in 1916 and a city in 1930.[3]
During the peak of the coal era (1920s) Drumheller's population exploded to approximately 3,000 and it became a city in 1930. Once Western Canada's largest coal producer, Drumheller now contributes to a vibrant energy sector and boasts Alberta's second largest natural gas deposit, the West Drumheller Field.
To benefit from Provincial and Federal grants, the City of Drumheller dropped its city status in favour of town status when it amalgamated with the Municipal District (M.D.) of Badlands No. 7 on January 1, 1998.[4] As a result of the amalgamation, Drumheller became Alberta’s largest town in terms of area at 111 square kilometres (43 sq mi).
The 1998 amalgamation with the M.D. of Badlands No. 7 resulted in Drumheller absorbing seven unincorporated communities that were previously under the jurisdiction of the M.D. – Aerial, Cambria, East Coulee, Lehigh, Nacmine, Rosedale and Wayne. Drumheller also previously absorbed the sizeable communities of Midlandvale, Newcastle and North Drumheller during annexations while under city status. Eladesor, Kneehill, Rosedale Station, Western Monarch and Willow Creek are numerous other localities within Drumheller[5] that were absorbed through past annexations or its eventual amalgamation with the M.D. of Badlands No. 7.
In total, Drumheller has absorbed at least 13 other communities in its history, some of which are now recognized as neighbourhoods or districts within the town.[6]
Drumheller has been the filming location for more than 50 commercials, television and cinematic productions including Running Brave, MythQuest, Unforgiven, ABC's miniseries Dreamkeeper and TNT's miniseries Into the West.
South of the traffic bridge over the Red Deer river on Highway 9 is the World's Largest Dinosaur, a 26.2 metres (86 ft) high fiberglass Tyrannosaurus rex that can be entered for a view of the Badlands, including the adjacent 23 metre (75 ft) water fountain, again one of the largest in Canada. Tourist attractions also include the Star Mine Suspension Bridge, Atlas Coal Mine, Drumheller Valley Ski Hill, Reptile World, Canadian Badlands Passion Play, Horseshoe Canyon, Water Spray Park, Aquaplex with indoor and outdoor pools, Horse Thief Canyon, hoodoos, Midland Provincial Park, Rosedeer Hotel in Wayne, 27 kilometres (17 mi) of constructed pathways, Bleriot Ferry, East Coulee School Museum, Homestead Museum, Reptile World (the largest display of reptiles in Western Canada) and Little Church which is capable of seating only six patrons.
Next to Drumheller ski hill is the Canadian Badlands Passion Play site, where, for two weeks each July, performances are held. Companies are composed of actors from all over Alberta. The site also offers small plays throughout the summer and an interpretive centre.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is a museum that hosts Canada's largest collection of dinosaur fossils. It boasts 375,000 visitors a year, the largest of all provincial museum attractions. It opened on September 25, 1985. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is located in the northwest quadrant of the Town of Drumheller, in Midland Provincial Park.
Newspapers covering Drumheller include the weekly Drumheller Mail, which has been publishing every Wednesday for 99 years and has been owned by the Sheddy family since 1954.
Drumheller is within range of the radio and television stations in Calgary and Red Deer, however reception within the town is poor due to the terrain of the Badlands.
All stations are relays of stations from Calgary.
| Climate data for Drumheller | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | −8 (18) |
−4 (25) |
2 (36) |
11 (52) |
19 (66) |
22 (72) |
27 (81) |
25 (77) |
20 (68) |
13 (55) |
1 (34) |
−4 (25) |
10 (50) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −14 (7) |
−11 (12) |
−3 (27) |
5 (41) |
11 (52) |
15 (59) |
19 (66) |
17 (63) |
12 (54) |
6 (43) |
−4 (25) |
−10 (14) |
3 (37) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −19 (−2) |
−16 (3) |
−9 (16) |
−2 (28) |
4 (39) |
8 (46) |
11 (52) |
9 (48) |
4 (39) |
−1 (30) |
−10 (14) |
−16 (3) |
−3 (27) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 17 (0.67) |
15 (0.59) |
13 (0.51) |
20 (0.79) |
34 (1.34) |
57 (2.24) |
55 (2.17) |
42 (1.65) |
27 (1.06) |
16 (0.63) |
18 (0.71) |
17 (0.67) |
331 (13.03) |
| Source: [7] | |||||||||||||
According to the Canada 2006 Census:[2]
| Population: | 7,932 |
| Land area: | 110.80 square kilometres (42.78 sq mi) |
| Population density: | 73.5 people/km² (190.4/sq mi) |
| Median age: | 39.7 (males: 37.0, females: 43.1) |
| Total private dwellings: | 3,244 |
| Mean household income: | $56,029 |
| Three Hills | Stettler | Coronation | ||
| Airdrie, Beiseker | Hanna | |||
| Drumheller | ||||
| Strathmore | Bassano | Brooks |