Camrose

Camrose is about 90 km southeast of Edmonton, in a transitory region of Alberta, between prairie and boreal forest, known as aspen parkland. It's a major economic centre for many small farming communities in the surrounding area. The Stoney Creek runs through the city and flows into the Battle River, south of the city.

History

The area around Camrose was first settled by Europeans in around 1900. At that time the nearby settlement of Wetaskiwin was a major centre for pioneers; typically, it was the last stopping-off point before they set out in search of nearby land. The site that was to be Camrose was about a day's journey from Wetaskiwin along the railroad, which made it a popular place on the route of pioneers. Soon businessmen and other settlers arrived to stay. The settlers came primarily from Scandinavian countries, such as Norway and Sweden, and many settlers also came from the United States. At that time the settlement was known as the hamlet of Stoney Creek. In 1904, Stoney Creek began receiving mail service, its first businesses began to open, and its first RCMP officer (Constable "Blue" Smith) arrived.
On May 4, 1905, the settlement was incorporated as the Village of Sparling, named for Reverend Dr. Sparling of Winnipeg; however, because the name was often confused with Sperling and Stirling, in 1906 the Village Council renamed the settlement to Camrose. There is no factual evidence about the reason for the choice of the name Camrose, but it is generally thought that it was named after the Village of Camrose in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. In December 1906, Camrose was incorporated as a town.
From 1905 to 1914, there was a great deal of railway construction in the Camrose area. Camrose became a bit of a railway hub, sitting on railways that connected to Edmonton and Calgary, and to many of the smaller towns in central Alberta, such as Vegreville, Stettler, Drumheller, and Wetaskiwin. By 1914, 12 passenger trains came through Camrose daily. In those days the growth of Camrose was strongly linked with the railway.
In 1912, the first building of the Camrose Lutheran College (known as Augustana University College from 1991 to 2004) was opened. Today the campus continues as the Augustana Faculty of the University of Alberta.

By car

Highway 13 passes through the city. Edmonton is 90 km northwest, via Highway 21, which intersects Highway 13 about 6 km west of Camrose.

By bus

The Camrose Connector bus service travels to Edmonton on weekdays.

By air

• Edmonton international Airportnorthwest of Camrose, near Leduc.

• Camrose Airport

  phone: +1-780-672-4428
  address: 46 Street & 55 Avenue
  Private aircraft only; no commercial service.

• Mirror Lake Taxi

  phone: +1 780-781-4094

• Lakeside Taxi

  phone: +1 780-672-5454

• Rose City Taxi

  phone: +1 780-672-1003

• Bailey Theatre

  phone: +1 780-672-5510
  address: 5041 50 Street
  Alberta's oldest vaudeville theatre.

• Camrose & District Centennial Museum

  phone: +1 780-672-3298
  address: 4522 53 Street
  Home of thousands of artefacts with one main building and twelve outside buildings.

• Camrose Railway Museum & Park

  phone: +1 780-672-0224
  address: 4407 47 Avenue
  1911 Canadian Northern Railway depot with unique displays of local railway heritage, the White Elephant gift shop, self-serve refreshments in the Tea Room, as well as the Canadian Northern Society’s archives and library.

• Camrose Regional Exhibition

  phone: +1 780-672-8140
  address: 4250 Exhibition Drive
  A multipurpose agriculture, entertainment, education and leisure complex situated on 103 acres of land at the east end of Camrose along Highway 13. Home to Big Valley Jamboree.

• University of Alberta Augustana Campus

  phone: +1-780-679-1100
  address: 4901 46 Avenue

• Cross Country Skiing at the Camrose Ski Club

  address: 39 Avenue & 53 Street
  16 km of cross-country trails throughout Camrose.

• Hotel Camrose Resort and Casino

  address: 3201 48 Avenue

• Ice skating at Mirror Lake

  address: 5402 48 Avenue

Golf

• Camrose Golf Course

  phone: +1 780-672-2691
  address: 5106 66 Street
  Established in 1922 and is an 18-hole public course that offers all amenities required by both the recreational golfer and the golfer seeking additional challenges to their game.

• Silver Creek Gold & RV Resort

  phone: +1 780-855-3982
  address: 45314 Highway 21; New Norway, AB

• Downtown CamroseThere are over 280 businesses within the Business Revitalization Zone. It is here that you will find the majority of professional services and a very strong retail sector.

• The Lefse House

  phone: +1 780-672-7555
  address: 5210 51 Avenue
  A Scandinavian specialty bakery with a coffee shop and gift gallery.

• Skyway Restaurant

  phone: +1 780-672-8363
  address: 4941 50 Street
  Chinese and Thai Take-out and dine-in.

• Browns Socialhouse

  phone: +1 780-608-7705
  address: 6805 48 Avenue

• Sacred Arts

  phone: +1 780-678-2538
  address: 5006 50 Street
  Plant-based natural foods and drinks, and yogic diets.

• Hart House Wine & Tapa

  phone: +1 780-281-1034
  address: 4812 49 Street
  Wine bar with craft cocktails and beer. Appetizers, meat pies, mains.

• Canalta Hotels

  phone: +1 780-672-7303
  address: 4710 73 Street
  Indoor pool, hot tub and fitness centre. Free continental breakfast, pet-friendly hotel, and kids 17 and under stay free with an adult.

• Hotel Camrose Resort and Casino

  address: 3201 48 Avenue
  Free parking, pool, fitness centre, free breakfast, on-site casino, kids stay free, pets allowed.

• Norsemen Inn

  phone: +1 780-672-9171
  address: 6505 48 Avenue
  Golf course, restaurant, bar and microbrewery on site. Pets allowed, business centre.

• R & R Inn & Suites

  phone: +1 780-672-2292
  Accessible room. Pets allowed.

• Ramada

  address: 4702 73 Street
  Indoor pool, waterslide, hot tub, free breakfast, fitness centre.

• Motel 6 Camrose

  phone: +1 780-672-3377
  address: 6216 48 Avenue
  Pets and children stay free.

• Bill Fowler Centre

  phone: +1 780-672-4217
  address: 5402 48 Avenue
  The Bill Fowler Centre is home to the Visitor Information Centre as well as the Camrose Chamber of Commerce. It is home to Ole Uffda, the Scandinavian mascot of Camrose, and the Viking Longship. The Bill Fowler Centre sits on the south shore of Mirror Lake Park, a focal point in Camrose’s urban park system. The centre is stocked with extensive information on Camrose, Camrose County, and the Boomtown Trail.

• Camrose Public Library

  phone: +1 780-672-4214
  address: 4710 50 Avenue