Valhalla Centre


Valhalla Centre is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the County of Grande Prairie No. 1.
It is located in the Peace River Country at the junction of Highway 59 and Highway 723, northeast of the Village of Hythe and west of the Town of Sexsmith. It is approximately east of the British Columbia border and has an elevation of.
The hamlet is located in census division No. 19 and in the federal riding of Peace River.

History

The hamlet was founded in 1912 by Scandinavians that moved north from Edson. It was named by Reverend Halvar N. Ronning after Valhalla, Odin's hall in Norse mythology. The first post office was established in 1916. The settlement grew around a creamery until 1945. The Melsness Mercantile building was built in 1925, and functioned as a store and post office until 1951. Today it hosts a museum dedicated to the Scandinavian heritage of the area, and was declared a Provincial Historic Site.

Demographics

As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Valhalla Centre recorded a population of 15 living in 9 of its 9 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 45. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016.
As a designated place in the 2011 Census, Valhalla Centre had a population of 45 living in 19 of its 20 total dwellings, a -25% change from its 2006 population of 60. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011.
The population of Valhalla Centre according to the County of Grande Prairie No. 1's 2006 municipal census is 48.

Economy

The economy is centred on farming and stock raising.

Amenities

The hamlet has a church, curling rink, skating rink, museum and K-8 school. The school is one of 13 publicly funded Alberta Chartered Schools.