Vegreville
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Vegreville is a town of 5,700 people (2016) on the Yellowhead Highway in eastern Alberta, approximately 100 km east of Edmonton. It is home to the world's largest pysanka (Ukrainian Easter egg).
Understand
Incorporated in 1906, Vegreville is primarily an agricultural community and has strong historical ties to the Ukrainian immigrant community.
Grand Trunk Pacific's rail line (now Canadian National Railway's Vegreville Subdivision) from Lloydminster reached west through Vegreville to Edmonton by 1909. The GTPR was completed to Prince Rupert in 1914 and financially ruined by 1919. CN79458, a red caboose retired in 1993, is on display in Elks Park off 48th Street.
Grand Trunk Pacific's rail line (now Canadian National Railway's Vegreville Subdivision) from Lloydminster reached west through Vegreville to Edmonton by 1909. The GTPR was completed to Prince Rupert in 1914 and financially ruined by 1919. CN79458, a red caboose retired in 1993, is on display in Elks Park off 48th Street.
Get in
===By car===
Yellowhead Highway 16 (Prince Rupert BC to Portage la Prairie MB), part of the Trans-Canada Highway system; exit onto Highway 16A into town.
===By bus===
===By air===
Vegreville Industrial Airport has a 4000-foot runway but no scheduled flights.
===By rail===
Via Rail's trains pass through Vegreville, Vermilion and Lloydminster on their way to Edmonton but do not stop. The former station is now restaurant and event space.
Yellowhead Highway 16 (Prince Rupert BC to Portage la Prairie MB), part of the Trans-Canada Highway system; exit onto Highway 16A into town.
===By bus===
===By air===
Vegreville Industrial Airport has a 4000-foot runway but no scheduled flights.
===By rail===
Via Rail's trains pass through Vegreville, Vermilion and Lloydminster on their way to Edmonton but do not stop. The former station is now restaurant and event space.
Get around
-
Central Taxi
phone: +1 780-632-6822address: 5005 47th St
See
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Our Lady of the Highway
address: just east of town on Highway 16AAsk the blessings of Our Lady to protect and direct travellers in their journeys. Seven-foot high shrine sculpted in Italy from Carrara Marble (Italian White Marble) and erected by the Vegreville Knights of Columbus. -
address: Elks / Kinsmen ParkPainstakingly constructed from thousands of individual aluminium pieces, this oversize Ukrainian Easter egg (batik pysanka) stands three and a half stories high and is 9 m (31 ft) long. (By comparison, the "Big Bird" muppet would be tiny at a mere 8ft 2in.)
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phone: +1 780-632-7650address: 5029 45B AveFormer Agriculture Canada research station (1956-1995), the museum and Vegreville & District Sports Hall of Fame highlight community development with local history exhibits, classic farm machinery, community history books.
Do
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phone: +1 780-632-6800address: off Highway 16AA fully restored CN caboose is open every day of the year. Tourist info, souvenirs, snacks, 93-site RV park and camp site with shower and rest rooms, picnic facilities, playground, tobogganing hill and outdoor fitness area.
Events
Country FairThree days, early August.
Pysanka FestivalThree days, early July. Celebration of Ukrainian culture.
Eat
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Old School Diner
phone: +1 780-632-3638address: 5341 50 AveA family-owned diner modelled after 1950s styled diners. -
phone: +1 587-280-4050address: 4930 50 AvenueWraps, soups, sandwiches, stromboli.
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Leonel's Place
phone: +1 780-632-6551address: 5245 50 AveUkrainian, Italian, Canadian.
Drink
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Vito's Lounge
phone: +1 780-632-3337address: 4925 50th AveAlso serves steaks and pizza.
Sleep
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phone: +1 780-632-2094address: 6539 Hwy 16A West80 rooms and suites, on-site convenience store, meeting facilities, wi-fi.
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phone: +1 780-632-2895address: 6401 50th Ave44 rooms with fridge, microwave, TV. Homestead Lounge open 10am-2am.
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phone: +1 780-632-6263address: 6001 50th Ave
Go next
- Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a pioneer village living museum at the eastern edge of Elk Island National Park on Yellowhead Highway 16.