Eckville


Eckville is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located west of Red Deer on Highway 766 just north of Highway 11.

History

Eckville gets its name from A. E. T. Eckford, a pioneer citizen. 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.

Geography

Climate

Eckville experiences a humid continental climate which borders on a subarctic climate.

Demographics

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, it had a population density of in 2016.
In the 2011 Census, the Town of Eckville had a population of 1,125 living in 436 of its 485 total dwellings, an 18.3% change from its 2006 population of 951. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011.
The population of the Town of Eckville according to its 2007 municipal census is 1,002.

Culture

Eckville is home to several festivals and events throughout the year:
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. Keegstra was mayor of Eckville at the time, but was defeated in a subsequent election.

Notable people