Halkirk, Alberta


Halkirk is a village in central Alberta, Canada within the County of Paintearth No. 18. It is located east of Red Deer at the intersection of Highway 12 and Highway 855. Founded in 1912, Halkirk was named after Halkirk, Scotland. With commercial operations beginning on December 1, 2012, Capital Power Corporation has operated Alberta's largest wind farm with 83 Vestas windmills in the area with 150MW capacity.

Geography

Halkirk is located in an area surrounded by prairies, farmland, and badlands.

Demographics

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Halkirk recorded a population of 112 living in 55 of its 56 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 121. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016.
In the 2011 Census, the Village of Halkirk had a population of 121 living in 57 of its 70 total dwellings, a 7.1% change from its 2006 population of 113. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011.

Economy

Halkirk is within an agricultural region that yields a cross-section of products. In addition, there are several industrial operations located near Halkirk, including a mining operation, a power generating station, and oilfield support services among others.

Attractions and amenities

Landmarks within Halkirk include its water tower and grain elevator. The grain elevator, formerly owned by Alberta Wheat Pool and later Agricore, is now owned by a local family.
Recreation facilities within the village include a curling rink, baseball diamonds, camping facilities, and rodeo grounds. The rodeo grounds host the annual Halkirk Bullarama – a rodeo-style bull riding competition.
Other facilities include the Halkirk Community Hall, the Halkirk Senior Centre, and an interdenominational church. The community hall hosts numerous private and public social events throughout the year.

Infrastructure and services

Transportation

Halkirk is served by several transport companies that travel along Highway 12. Greyhound provides bus service to the community on a daily basis.

Utilities

The natural gas system is owned by the Village of Halkirk and is supplied by The Paintearth Gas Co-op. Municipal water is supplied by the Shirley McClellan Regional Water Commission. The sanitation system is owned and operated by the village. Power is supplied by ATCO Electric.

Health care

Hospital services are located in nearby Castor. Additional diagnostic services are available in Stettler or Red Deer.

Emergency response

The Village of Halkirk has a volunteer fire department. Emergency medical service is linked to the Stettler network, and East Central Ambulance dispatches ambulances from both Castor and Stettler as needed.

Community organizations

Two service clubs in Halkirk include the ELKS Club and the Halkirk Seniors club, both of which host several events throughout the year.

Education

The Village of Halkirk was home to the Mother Theresa Halkirk Catholic School until 2016. It was decided by the East Central Alberta Catholic Separate School Board in March, 2016 to close the school indefinitely due to a decline in students.

Notable people