Fox Creek, Alberta
| Fox Creek | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Town of Fox Creek | |
| Nickname(s): Fox Vegas | |
| Motto: A Playground of Opportunity Canada’s Centennial Community |
|
 Welcome sign |
|
 Fox Creek
|
|
| Coordinates: 54°23′42″N 116°48′33″W / 54.39500°N 116.80917°WCoordinates: 54°23′42″N 116°48′33″W / 54.39500°N 116.80917°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
|
| Province |
 Alberta
|
| Region | Northern Alberta |
| Census division | 18 |
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 |
| Incorporated | |
| • New town | July 19, 1967 |
| • Town | September 1, 1983 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | James Ahn |
| • Governing body |
Fox Creek Town Council
|
| • CAO | Roy Dell (acting) |
| • MP | Jim Eglinski |
| • MLA | Everett McDonald |
| Area (2016) | |
| • Land | 12.36 km2 (4.77 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 808 m (2,651 ft) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 1,971 |
| • Density | 159.4/km2 (413/sq mi) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| Postal code span | T0H 1P0 |
| Area code(s) | 780 |
| Highways | Highway 43 |
| Waterways |
Smoke Lake Iosegun Lake Raspberry Lake Fox Creek |
| Website | Official website |
Fox Creek is a town in northwest Alberta, Canada. It is located on Highway 43, approximately 259 km (161 mi) northwest of Edmonton and 199 km (124 mi) southeast of Grande Prairie, and has an elevation of 808 m (2,651 ft).
Fox Creek is within Statistics Canada's Census Division No. 18, and is surrounded by the Municipal District of Greenview No. 16.
On June 6, 1952, the townsite for a future community was selected by Ryan Krause and Victor Heath. It was named Fox Creek after the watercourse adjacent to the western edge of the townsite, which drains towards Iosegun Lake to the north. The original survey of the townsite occurred over three days in late October, 1955.
At the same time, a townsite for another future community was surveyed to the north of Fox Creek on Iosegun Lake's eastern shore. This townsite turned out to be too wet, resulting in no development interest. The provincial government subsequently abandoned plans to develop a community at this location.
Residents began settling in Fox Creek shortly after Highway 43 officially opened in the fall of 1955, attracted by opportunities in the forestry and oil and gas exploration industries. The first two houses were built by Alberta Forest Services in 1956 to support a new ranger station that opened in 1957. Fox Creek's first two roadways, 1 Street West (the initial stage of Kaybob Drive) and Highway Avenue, were also constructed in 1956.
In 1957, the first significant oil field was discovered north of Fox Creek, known as the Kaybob North Field, and the community's first two businesses were established. Both businesses were services stations – under the British American and Imperial Oil banners – each with associated restaurants.
The community's post office was founded on March 18, 1958. It was named the Iosegun Lake Post Office, which was not officially renamed to the Fox Creek Post Office until 10 years later.
The late 1950s and early 1960s brought much activity to the Hamlet of Fox Creek as numerous sawmills, drilling rigs, and camps supporting drilling and road construction activities had established in the area. A total of 12 oil and gas fields were discovered over a six-year span between 1957 and 1962, of which included the discovery of a significant gas field to the south of Fox Creek in 1961 known as the Kaybob South Field. These discoveries triggered the construction of five gas plants in the Fox Creek area over the eleven years that followed the discovery of the Kaybob South Field.
...
Wikipedia