Grande Cache, Alberta
| Grande Cache | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Town of Grande Cache | |
Highway 40 through Grande Cache
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 Grande Cache
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| Coordinates: 53°52′29″N 119°07′21″W / 53.87472°N 119.12250°WCoordinates: 53°52′29″N 119°07′21″W / 53.87472°N 119.12250°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 Alberta
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| Region | Northern Alberta |
| Census division | 18 |
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 |
| Incorporated | |
| • New town | September 1, 1966 |
| • Town | September 1, 1983 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Herb Castle |
| • Governing body | Grande Cache Town Council |
| • MP | Jim Eglinski (Cons - Yellowhead) |
| • MLAs | Eric Rosendahl (NDP - West Yellowhead) |
| Area (2016) | |
| • Land | 34.97 km2 (13.50 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,220 m (4,000 ft) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 3,571 |
| • Density | 102.1/km2 (264/sq mi) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC−7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC−6) |
| Postal code | T0E 0Y0 |
| Area code(s) | +1-780 |
| Website | Official website |
Grande Cache is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada, located 145 kilometres (90 mi) northwest of Hinton and 435 kilometres (270 mi) west of Edmonton. It is located in the Municipal District of Greenview No. 16, between Highway 40 and the Smoky River, at the northern border of Alberta's Rockies. The town is the gateway to the Willmore Wilderness Park.
The New Town of Grande Cache was created by the Order in Council 1605/66 of the Alberta Government 1966-09-01. The purpose of creating a new town was to open the area for the development of coal mines. New town status allowed the town to use the Alberta Government as a guarantor for debt.
Construction of the town began in 1969. By 1971 a hospital, schools, stores, and the first homes were built.
Grande Cache received Town status by the Order in Council 749/83 on September 1, 1983.
The town suffered a boom-bust cycle due to the dependence on a single employer that depended on a single commodity: coal. In an attempt to diversify the economy additional industries were encouraged to develop in the area. This included a wood chip plant and a federal prison operated by the Correctional Service of Canada. In recent years, wilderness tourism is an increasing industry.
The town is built on a plateau that is just below the subalpine level of the Rocky Mountains. The town site is surrounded by three valleys: to the north is the Smoky River; to the west is the Sulphur River; to the south is Victor Lake and Grande Cache Lake. To the east of town is Grande Mountain.
Grande Cache experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc).
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Wikipedia