Penhold is a town in

central Alberta Central Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. Central Alberta is the most densely populated rural area in the province. Agriculture and energy are important to the area's economy. Geography Central Alberta is bordere ...

, Canada. Penhold is surrounded by

Red Deer County Red Deer County is a List of municipal districts in Alberta, municipal district in central Alberta, Canada within Division No. 8, Alberta, Census Division No. 8 and surrounding the Red Deer, Alberta, City of Red Deer. The neighbouring municipali ...

, south of

Red Deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of wes ...

at the junction of Highway 2A and Highway 42. It is located north of

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

, east of the

Red Deer River The Red Deer River is a river in Alberta and a small portion of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is a major tributary of the South Saskatchewan River and is part of the larger Saskatchewan-Nelson system that empties into Hudson Bay. Red Deer River ...

History

Originally, Penhold was one of the many whistle stops along the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

. It incorporated as the Village of Penhold in 1904. The origin of the name "Penhold" appears to have been around the time that the railroad siding named "Penhold" was established. Research has found no earlier instances of that name. In 1981, the Village of Penhold incorporated as a town as a result of large population growth in the late 1970s.

RCAF Penhold

During the second world war a Royal Canadian Air Force Station was established near the community. The station was closed in 1994.

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

, the Town of Penhold had a population of 3,484 living in 1,325 of its 1,396 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 3,287. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. The population of the Town of Penhold according to its 2019 municipal census is 3,563, a change of from its 2014 municipal census population of 2,842. In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Penhold recorded a population of 3,277 living in 1,235 of its 1,300 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 2,375. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016.

Attractions

Attractions in Penhold include a museum, a recreation centre with an indoor arena, a baseball diamond, library, a splash park, a campground, an outdoor ice rink, and a skate park/pump track. Two more ball diamonds, walking trails, and 2 soccer fields are in development.

Education

The town is home to three public schools of the

Chinook's Edge School Division Chinook's Edge School Division No. 73 (CESD) is a school district headquartered in Innisfail, Alberta.Home
Chinook's Edge School Division. Retrieved on ...

: Jessie Duncan (Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 3), Penhold Elementary (Grade 4–6), and Penhold Crossing Secondary (Grade 7–12).

References

External links

* {{coord, 52, 08, N, 113, 52, W, region:CA-AB_type:city_scale:60000, name=Penhold, display=title 1904 establishments in Alberta Towns in Alberta