Rimbey, Alberta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Town of Rimbey | |
| Motto: The friendly international town | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census division | 8 |
| County | Ponoka |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Dale Barr |
| - Governing body | Rimbey Town Council |
| Area | |
| - Total | 11.34 km² (4.4 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 930 m (3,051 ft) |
| Population (2006)[1] | |
| - Total | 2,252 |
| - Density | 198.6/km² (514.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| Postal code span | T0C 2J0 |
| Area code(s) | +1-403 |
| Highways | Highway 20 Highway 53 |
| Waterways | Gull Lake |
| Website: Town of Rimbey | |
Rimbey is a small town of over 2000 people in central Alberta, Canada. It is located 62 kilometres (39 mi) northwest of Red Deer, 145 kilometres (90 mi) southwest of Edmonton and 207 kilometres (129 mi) north of Calgary.
The town is situated at the junction of Highways 20 and 53, in the Blindman River valley area.
Nearby communities include Ponoka (east), Red Deer (southeast), and Bentley (south)
Contents |
[edit] Economy
Rimbey is mainly a farming community, with the oil and gas sector increasing in importance.
The town has full amenities including hotels, motels, several grocery, convenience, and liquor stores and a campground. Rimbey has its own hospital and ambulance (although more specialized procedures are sent to Red Deer or Edmonton) and its own detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
[edit] Media
The town newspaper is the Rimbey Review.[2] Until about 10 years ago Rimbey's paper was the Rimbey Record, but the conglomerate that operated it (along with papers from other small communities in Alberta such as Ponoka) shut down all its small-town papers.
[edit] History
Officially made a community in 1902, the first name given to the settlement at the turn of the century was Kansas Ridge as many of the settlers came from Kansas. Among them were the three Rimbey brothers (Sam, Ben, and Jim) for whom the town was officially named after in 1904. The Rimbeys moved to Canada from Scott County, Illinois, having moved to Illinois in the 1830s from Maryland. They were originally from Pennsylvania.
In 1919 the Lacombe and Blindman Valley Electric Railway (later part of the Canadian Pacific Railway) reached Rimbey, and there was much enthusiasm for the "new town" by the tracks (now Highway 20). Two grain companies built elevators the following year and Rimbey's population swelled to 319 by 1921.
The Second World War brought abrupt changes to Rimbey, as young men and sometimes their families left the village. When war was over some returned and others did not. Many new faces came to Rimbey and the population surged to 634 by 1946.
[edit] Demographics
In 2006, Rimbey had a population of 2,252 living in 987 dwellings, a 4.5% increase from 2001. The town has a land area of 11.34 km² (4.4 sq mi) and a population density of 198.6/km² (514.4/sq mi).[1]
[edit] Education
Rimbey is part of the Wolf Creek School Division No. 72, with headquarters in Ponoka. The town provides all levels of primary schooling. The Rimbey Elementary and Junior-Senior High School are right next to each other, and the West Country Outreach school also exists in the town.
The Rimbey Nursery School offers play-based programs for children 3 to 5 years old.
The Rimbey Montessori School House is a government approved private school for preschool to Grade 6 children.
The Rimbey Christian School is a private school that offers grades E.C.S. to 9. They offered grades 10-12 until September 2005.
[edit] Tourism
Pas-Ka-Poo Park includes large open lawns, a historical village site, museums and a wide array of interesting displays, including the World's Largest Collection of International Trucks in the Smithson International Truck Museum.
The Rimbey Golf & Trailer Park is located 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi) south.
The town has an outdoor swimming pool open from May to August every year.
The Beatty House is a historical house in the centre of town and can be booked for tours or to house social events.
There are also a couple smaller public parks (designed for children) around town.
[edit] Rimbey in Popular Culture
The Royal Canadian Air Farce had a character named "Chuck, from Rimbey" who was an associate of popular character Mike, from Canmore. Chuck wore an Edmonton Oilers hat, unlike Mike's Calgary Flames one.
When Ralph Klein was the Premier of Alberta, he would often refer to "Martha and Henry from Rimbey" to characterize the so-called "severely normal Albertans" whom he credited for his popularity.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes once ran a commercial for the "Preston Manning Sing-Along Album" which included the song "I Left My Heart in Rimbey, Alberta"
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Statistics Canada (Census 2006). Rimbey - Community Profile. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
- ^ Rimbey Review
[edit] External links
- Town of Rimbey
- AlbertaFirst. Rimbley community profile
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Drayton Valley | Breton | Wetaskiwin |
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| Rocky Mountain House | Bentley | Lacombe |
