Showing 271 results

The Town of Athabasca and Athabasca University were special guests of the Alberta Pavilion at Expo 86 in Vancouver on July 29, 1986. The day was declared Athabasca Day and the occasion featured a teleconference call underlining the international scope of Athabasca University. Also included were visual presentations of the Town of Athabasca and a luncheon reception for visiting dignitaries.

The Athabasca and District Agricultural Association Limited was formed in 1914 and registered in 1915. It promoted local agricultural development and held an annual fair. It ceased to function in 1931. The Athabasca District Agricultural Society was registered in 1950. Membership is voluntary.

In October, 1908, the Athabasca Landing Board of Trade held its organizational meeting. The executive consisted of Leslie Wood, as president, and Isaie Gagnon, John Lessard, James Wood and Lance Smith. Four committees were formed to promote industrial and commercial enterprises, civic interests, transportation and publicity. Priorities included getting a railroad and publicizing the area nationally and internationally. In 1911 the Board of Trade sent the first exhibiton of local produce and literature to the Edmonton Exhibition. In 1915 the Board of Trade began admitting farmers to their membership. The Board was inactive in 1917, 1921-1926, and 1933-1936. In 1928 they petitioned the government for a bridge across the Athabasca River. They affiliated with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in 1930. In January, 1955 the organization changed its name to Athabasca District Chamber of Commerce.

The Athabasca Echo was first published on July 12,1928 as a local community newspaper in Athabasca, Alberta. The newspaper discontinued publication on August 12,1986. The publishers were William Conquest (1928-1942), Byron W. Bellamy (1942-1954), Evelyn Rita Rogers (1954-1978) and Robert MacGregor (1978-1986).

Athabasca Elementary School was built in 1966 on the West Hill in Athabasca to accommodate Grades 1-7. In August, 1994 the name was changed to Landing Trail Intermediate School for Grades 4-7.

Athabasca, Alberta's Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Program is a municipal-provincial partnership through which local people may develop services and perform activities to strengthen the family and community. It came into being in June 1981.

A weekly and/or seasonal Athabasca and area Farmers Market was researched in January 1978 and this included a local survey of interest and attendance at an Alberta Agriculture Farmers’ Market seminar in Edmonton. The first Farmers Market was organized by volunteers just prior to Christmas, 1978 and was held in the basement of the Athabasca Community Centre. It may also have been held at the Athabasca Arena at various times during the day on Fridays. It was sponsored by the Athabasca Agricultural Society and one of the early managers was Theresa Keith. Early promotional efforts included cake decorating contests, door prizes and the mention of new visitors in a regular column published the Athabasca Advocate newspaper. Early members include Staffie Rypien, Grace Stychin, Mildred Haggith, Shirley Berezowski, Lilo Sanftl, Pennie Hunter, Otto Christensen, Lorraine Schultz, Joy Richards, Pat Williamson, Dorothy McCue, Maria Muller, Maureen Weymouth, Gwen Wolstenholme, Loreen Dagley, Liz Lamoureux, Mary Bart, Mary Schmidt, Mr. and Mrs. Stellmaker, and a BC fruit producer from Westlock. Annual membership was $10.00. Board positions were president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. All vendors set their own prices and a percentage of sales was given to the Market. Items for sale included fresh baking, farm fresh eggs, hand-made clothing, frozen foods, household items, seasonal bedding plants and crafts.
In 1984, the Farmers Market moved to a retail location on the main floor of Dr. Wright’s building at 4902 – 49 Street, Athabasca and was open six days a week from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The store was staffed by volunteers. The store location closed on December 19, 2001 due to a number of factors including volunteer burn out and changes in health regulations which made it more difficult to operate in the same way; specifically, food items that were baked in home kitchens and not on site. The Farmers Market Board donated the remaining $4,000.00 in their bank account to the Athabasca Health Care Centre Ladies Auxiliary.
The Athabasca Farmers Market has always operated with the designation of “Alberta Approved Farmers Market.” This means that 80% of good sold are produced in Alberta. It was billed as the only full-time, year-round farmers’ market in Alberta during the years it was located in Dr. Wright’s building.
There was no Farmers Market in Athabasca between the years 2001 and 2004. It was then brought back under the sponsorship of the Athabasca District Chamber of Commerce and again held weekly/seasonally in the basement of the Community Centre. Due to scheduling difficulties at the Community Centre, the Farmers Market was moved to the basement of the Royal Canadian Legion #103 in 2006.
In 2011, a new organization, the North Country Community Council, sponsored the Farmers Market and it is now held every second Saturday from October to May at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex. During the spring and summer months, it is held weekly on the Athabasca riverfront. The Town of Athabasca donated a one-time start up grant of $2,500 in 2012. During the months of January through November, the market has between 25 – 30 tables and peaks with as many as 65 tables in the month before Christmas. The Farmers Market executive has made donations to the Good Samaritan Food Bank and the Athabasca Santas Anonymous annual campaign.

First established in 1952, the Athabasca Health Unit was located in the old hospital on 49th Street. Val Breckenridge chaired the first Board. In 1965 that building was demolished and a new Health Unit building was erected on the old site. In the 1980s the Athabasca Health Unit was a local government service formed by the towns of Athabasca, Lac La Biche and Slave Lake; the villages of Boyle, Kinuso and Plamondon; the County of Athabasca and part of Improvement Districts No. 17 and 18. It served a population of about 25,000 and covered an area of 20,000 square miles. A new building was completed in 1984 in the Cornwall area of Athabasca.