Sherwood Park, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Sherwood Park is a large hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
within Strathcona County
Strathcona County, Alberta
Strathcona County is a specialized municipality in central Alberta, Canada between Edmonton and Elk Island National Park.It is located in Division No. 11 and is also part of the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area. More than half of the population lives in Sherwood Park, a large community east of...
that is recognized as an urban service area. It is located adjacent to the City of Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
's eastern boundary, generally south of Highway 16 (Yellowhead Trail), west of Highway 21 and north of Highway 630
Alberta Highway 630
Alberta Provincial Highway No. 630 is a highway in the province of Alberta, Canada. It runs west-east from Highway 216 between Edmonton and Sherwood Park to Highway 14 west of Tofield. It takes commuters from Strathcona County's many acreages to the city core...
(Wye Road). Smaller portions of Sherwood Park extend beyond Yellowhead Trail and Wye Road, while Highway 216 (Anthony Henday Drive) separates Refinery Row
Refinery Row (Edmonton)
Refinery Row is the unofficial name given to the concentration of oil refineries in west Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, Alberta, just east of the city of Edmonton....
to the west from the balance of the hamlet to the east.
Sherwood Park was first established in 1954/55 on farmland of the Smeltzer family, east of Edmonton. With a population of 61,660 in 2009, Sherwood Park has enough people to be Alberta's seventh largest city, but technically retains the status of a hamlet. The Government of Alberta
Politics of Alberta
The politics of Alberta are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian provinces, namely a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The capital of the province is Edmonton, where the Lieutenant Governor, Premier, the legislature, and cabinet reside.The...
recognizes the Sherwood Park Urban Service Area as equivalent to a city.
History
The Cree and Saulteaux Nations are the First Nations peoples who lived in this territory for centuries. The first Europeans did not arrive in the region until in the late 18th century. Buffalo was abundant in the region, and an important source of food and clothing for the local First Nations. Though the local First Nations had maintained sustainable buffalo hunts in the area for generations, the newcomers slaughtered and nearly decimated the buffalo herds which dramatically disrupted the Natives' way of life.Some local First Nations in the area began trading at nearby Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton was the name of a series of trading posts of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1795 to 1891, all of which were located in central Alberta, Canada...
. The majority of Nations signed Treaty 6
Treaty 6
Treaty 6 is an agreement between the Canadian monarch and the Plain and Wood Cree Indians and other tribes of Indians at Fort Carlton, Fort Pitt and Battle River. The area agreed upon by the Plain and Wood Cree represents most of the central area of the current provinces of Saskatchewan and...
on August 21, 1877, which relegated them to small reserves far from the growing settler communities.
In the early 1950s, developers John Hook Campbell and John Mitchell envisioned a satellite town of 100 houses to accommodate employees of the industries east of Edmonton. In 1953, they received approval from the Municipal District of Strathcona for the development of the residential hamlet named "Campbelltown" and in September 1955, the first model homes were opened to the public. Later in 1956, the name of the hamlet was changed to Sherwood Park. Canada Post would not approve Campbelltown, since there were several Canadian communities with similar names.
Governance
Sherwood Park is governed by the Strathcona CountyStrathcona County, Alberta
Strathcona County is a specialized municipality in central Alberta, Canada between Edmonton and Elk Island National Park.It is located in Division No. 11 and is also part of the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area. More than half of the population lives in Sherwood Park, a large community east of...
Council, the Mayor of which is Linda Osinchuk who replaced Cathy Olesen in the municipal election in October 2010
Strathcona County municipal election, 2010
The 2010 Strathcona County municipal election was held Monday, October 18, 2010. Since 1968, provincial legislation has required every municipality to hold triennial elections...
.
Economy
Sherwood Park has a strong economy with over $9.0 billion worth of major projects completed, announced, or under construction. A district known as Refinery RowRefinery Row (Edmonton)
Refinery Row is the unofficial name given to the concentration of oil refineries in west Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, Alberta, just east of the city of Edmonton....
lies west of Sherwood Park and includes some of the largest industrial facilities in Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
, including Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
's Strathcona Refinery. The hamlet boasts very low crime rates, including a violent crime rate near zero.
Demographics
The population of Sherwood Park according to Strathcona County's 2009 municipal census is 61,660.In 2006, according to Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
census data, the community had a total population of 56,845.
Media
Sherwood Park's newspaper is the twice-weekly Sherwood Park-Strathcona County News. The Sherwood Park News and Strathcona County This Week newspapers, both owned by Bowes Publishers, in turn part of Sun Media Corporation, merged on November 6, 2007 to become Sherwood Park • Strathcona County News.Due to the community's close proximity to Edmonton, all major Edmonton media
Media in Edmonton
This is a list of media outlets in the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta.Many of these outlets - in particular the daily newspapers and the radio and TV broadcasters - also serve the numerous cities and communities in close proximity to Edmonton, including St...
, including the daily newspapers (such as the Edmonton Sun
Edmonton Sun
The Edmonton Sun is a daily newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.It began publishing in 1978 and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, its conservative editorial stance,...
and the Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.-History:The Journal was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as a rival to Alberta's first newspaper, the 23-year-old...
) and radio and TV broadcasters, also serve Sherwood Park and immediate area.
Education
Sherwood Park's two school boards are Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) and Elk Island Catholic Schools (EICS). The public high schools are Salisbury Composite High SchoolSalisbury Composite High School
Salisbury Composite High School, often referred to as Sal or Sal Comp, is a high school located in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada.- History :...
and Bev Facey Community High School
Bev Facey Community High School
Bev Facey Community High School is a public high school for grades 10–12 in Sherwood Park, Alberta, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Elk Island Public Schools Regional Division No. 14.-General information:...
, as well as Strathcona Christian Academy Secondary (a 7–12 school). The Catholic high school is Archbishop Jordan High School.
Sherwood Park was home to Canada's first charter school: New Horizons Charter School, a public charter school that offers a gifted education program for students from kindergarten to grade 9. It is now located in Ardrossan.
Sports
The most significant local sports team is a hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
squad, the Sherwood Park Crusaders
Sherwood Park Crusaders
The Sherwood Park Crusaders are an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, at the Sherwood Park Arena, capacity 1800....
. The Crusaders play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League
Alberta Junior Hockey League
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
. Sherwood Park has a well-respected Midget "AAA" hockey program, dating back to the mid-1970s, that has produced several top calibre players including former and current NHLers Gerald Diduck, Jim Ennis, Tyson Nash, and Cam Ward. The Sherwood Park Kings Athletic Club includes levels from Peewee to Midget and with the highest level being the Midget "AAA" program.
Sherwood Park is a significant football community. At least one Sherwood Park High School Football Team has been to the Alberta Provincial Final since the 1999 season. The Bantam team, the Sherwood Park Rams, have won provincials five of the last seven seasons.
Baseball has become a very popular and important sport in the community. In 2008, the Sherwood Park Dukes began their first season in Sherwood Park, playing at Centennial Park in the Wester Major Baseball league.
Strathcona County hosted the 2007 Western Canada Summer Games with most of the events held in Sherwood Park. The games included 2,300 athletes, coaches, and officials from the four western provinces and three northern territories. Around 2,800 volunteers helped make the games a success.
Notable residents
- Sara CanningSara CanningSara Canning is a Canadian actress. She co-starred on The CW television series The Vampire Diaries as Jenna Sommers, and starred in the 2009 feature film, Black Field.-Early life:...
– film and TV actress - Gerald DiduckGerald DiduckGerald Diduck is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the first round, 16th overall, by the Islanders in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. Diduck played 932 games in an NHL career that spanned eight different teams from 1984 to 2001...
– former NHL player - Maria DunnMaria Dunn (musician)Maria Dunn is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She has been described as "an arrestingly powerful singer-songwriter who writes great historical and social commentary." Her music blends Celtic folk with North American bluegrass and country influences.-Early life:...
– singer-songwriter - Jim EnnisJim EnnisJames Ennis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played collegiate hockey for Boston University and was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the sixth round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft...
– former NHL hockey player - Randy FerbeyRandy FerbeyRandy Ferbey is a Canadian curler from Sherwood Park, Alberta.Ferbey is a six-time Canadian champion and a four-time World Champion....
– Canadian Curler - Andrew FerenceAndrew FerenceAndrew James Stewart Ference is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League...
– NHL defenceman - Patrick GilmorePatrick Gilmore (actor)Patrick Gilmore is a Canadian actor best known for playing the role of Dale Volker in the science fiction series Stargate Universe. He has also been seen in other science fiction shows such as Battlestar Galactica and Eureka, as well as playing Trennan in Riese...
– film and TV actor - Ian Herbers – former NHL Hockey player
- Ken HitchcockKen HitchcockKen Hitchcock also known as "Hitch" is an NHL hockey coach and pro scout, currently coaching the St. Louis Blues.-Early Years:...
– former NHL coach - Miles Holmwood – guitaristGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
for CRIACriaA cria is the name for a baby camelid such as a llama, alpaca, vicuña, or guanaco. It comes from the Spanish word cría, meaning "baby". Its false cognate in English, crya , was coined by British sailors who explored Chile in the 18th century and were quick to describe the camelids onomatopoeically...
Platinum-awarded, JunoJuno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
-nominated band StereosStereosStereos are a Juno nominated pop band from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, formed in 2008. They are known mainly for their musical style, which fuses aspects of hip hop and pop to form their primary style including. Their first act that had them recognized was appearing on the MuchMusic original series,... - Ryan McGillRyan McGillRyan Clifford McGill is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Edmonton Oilers. McGill's playing career ended prematurely as a result of an eye injury...
– former NHL hockey player, current NHL coaching staff - Tara NelsonTara NelsonTara Nelson is a Canadian television journalist and news anchor, and most recently was the European bureau chief for Global Television Network's news division...
– GlobalGlobal Television NetworkGlobal Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
news anchor - Mark PysykMark PysykMark Alexander Terrance Pysyk is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL...
– NHL defenceman for the Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... - Mike SchreiberMike SchreiberMike Schreiber is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the Bietigheim Steelers in the German 2nd Bundesliga....
- Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman - Tony TwistTony TwistAnthony Rory Twist is a former professional ice hockey player. He played left wing in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues and Quebec Nordiques, but was also a feared enforcer. He now is a co-host in post-game shows after Blues games on Fox Sports Midwest...
– former NHL Hockey player - Cam WardCam WardCameron Kenneth Ward is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League . Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he was raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta...
– NHL goaltender for the Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
See also
- List of communities in Alberta
- List of hamlets in Alberta
- Strathcona County TransitStrathcona County TransitStrathcona County Transit provides local, commuter and school bus services to the community of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, which is situated just east of Edmonton in Strathcona County....