Three Hills


Three Hills is a town located in the southern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It takes its name from the three highly visible hills that are situated to its north.

History

Three Hills post office dates from 1904. Three Hills was incorporated as a village in 1912, the year it was moved to its current location on the Canadian Northern Railway. With ranchers and farmers constituting its first residents, it soon became a centre for the surrounding wheat-growing area.
In 1922, Prairie College was established in Three Hills with L. E. Maxwell as its first principal. This occurrence helped to increase the population of the town proper and its adjacent settlements. By the mid 1980s, the College campus and the nearby hamlets of Grantville and Ruarkville were annexed to the town.
Although a relatively small community, Three Hills had the distinction of hosting the Alberta Seniors Games in the summer of 1998. The town was chosen to host this event because of its ability to utilize large and well equipped facilities at Prairie College. This included the opening and closing ceremonies which took place in Prairie's 4,200 seat Maxwell Memorial Tabernacle.
The Maxwell Tabernacle was Canada's largest religious auditorium before it was decommissioned and demolished in 2005. It operated from 1954 to 2005 as a meeting place for the college's chapel services, concerts and conferences, as a worship centre for a local church, and the convocation auditorium for Prairie College, Prairie Christian Academy and the Three Hills High School.
Because of development regarding the nearby methane fields, the food and lodging industries in Three Hills have grown considerably over the past few years.

Demographics

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Three Hills recorded a population of 3,212 living in 1,232 of its 1,306 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 3,198. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016.
The Town of Three Hills' 2012 municipal census counted a population of 3,230, a 2.8% decrease from its 2008 municipal census population of 3,322.
In the 2011 Census, the Town of Three Hills had a population of 3,198 living in 1,178 of its 1,257 total dwellings, a 3.5% change from its 2006 population of 3,089. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011.

Attractions

Three Hills offers much to its community, including , Aquatic Centre, Centennial Place hockey arena, curling rink, campground, Three Hills Golf Club, and the Kneehill Historical Museum.
Since 1981, Three Hills has hosted an annual weekend in early June for auto enthusiasts called Cruise Night. The event typically attracts more than 8,000 visitors, along with their classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, and hot rods. This weekend is the largest of its kind in all of Western Canada.

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