Slave Lake
| Slave Lake | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Town of Slave Lake | |
Main street in August 2006
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 Slave Lake
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| Coordinates: 55°17′07″N 114°46′14″W / 55.28528°N 114.77056°WCoordinates: 55°17′07″N 114°46′14″W / 55.28528°N 114.77056°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Northern Alberta |
| Census division | 17 |
| Municipal district | M.D. of Lesser Slave River No. 124 |
| Incorporated | |
| • Village | January 1, 1961 |
| • Town | August 2, 1965 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Tyler Warman |
| • Governing body |
Slave Lake Town Council
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| • CAO | Brian Vance |
| • MP | David Yurdiga (Fort McMurray-Athabasca-Cons) |
| • MLA | Danielle Larivee (Lesser Slave Lake-NDP) |
| Area (2016) | |
| • Land | 14.44 km2 (5.58 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 590 m (1,940 ft) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 6,651 |
| • Density | 460.5/km2 (1,193/sq mi) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC−7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC−6) |
| Postal code span | T0G |
| Area code(s) | 780, 587, 825 |
| Highways |
Highway 2 Bicentennial Highway |
| Waterways |
Lesser Slave Lake Lesser Slave River |
| Website | Official website |
Slave Lake is a small town in northern Alberta, Canada about 200 km northwest of Edmonton and a similar distance southwest of Fort McMurray. It is located on the southeast shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 88. Slave Lake is in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124.
Slave Lake serves a local centre for the area. The administrative office for the Sawridge First Nation reserve is also located in the town.
The area of the present-day Town of Slave Lake was discovered by Europeans when David Thompson visited the area in 1799. Following his brief visit, several fur trading posts were established around Slave Lake, with a Hudson's Bay Company post established at the mouth of the lake. The first community, called Sawridge, was renamed Slave Lake in 1923. It was wiped out by a flood in the 1930s, and was subsequently moved to the current location. It was incorporated as a town in 1965.
The Town of Slave Lake was inundated by the flood of Sawridge Creek in July 1988.
On May 15, 2011, large parts of the town were affected by wildfires in the area. Winds pushed the flames into the town and destroyed many houses and businesses. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued, but with highways being closed, residents were urged to make their way to beaches, large parking lots, and open spaces. Highway 2 had been closed at the outset of the fire, but eventually re-opened for evacuation, with full evacuation ordered for Slave Lake.
On May 16, provincial officials said that 40% of the town had been destroyed or damaged, including the town hall, the library, a radio station, a mall and a significant number of homes and other buildings; no injuries or deaths were reported. On May 17, Mayor Karina Pillay-Kinnee indicated one-third of the town had been destroyed by the wildfire. On May 20, 2011, a firefighting helicopter crashed into the Lesser Slave Lake near Canyon Creek where its pilot died at the scene. It crashed about 30 m (98 ft) off shore into water that was 1.5 m (4.9 ft) deep. On July 6, Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited the town to offer encouragement to residents and rebuilding efforts.
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Wikipedia