Village at Pigeon Lake

Village at Pigeon Lake
Hamlet
Village at Pigeon Lake is located in Alberta
Village at Pigeon Lake
Village at Pigeon Lake
Location of Village at Pigeon Lake
Village at Pigeon Lake is located in Canada
Village at Pigeon Lake
Village at Pigeon Lake
Village at Pigeon Lake (Canada)
Coordinates: 52°57′46″N 114°01′40″W / 52.96278°N 114.02778°W / 52.96278; -114.02778
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
RegionCentral Alberta
Census division11
Municipal districtCounty of Wetaskiwin No. 10
Government
 • TypeUnincorporated
 • Governing bodyCounty of Wetaskiwin No. 10 Council
Population
 (2006)[1]
 • Total
77
Time zoneUTC−06:00 (Alberta Time)
Area codes780, 587, 825

The Village at Pigeon Lake is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within the County of Wetaskiwin No. 10.[2][3] It is located 0.3 kilometres (0.19 mi) north of Highway 13, approximately 44 kilometres (27 mi) west of Wetaskiwin.[4]

Toponymy

The Village at Pigeon Lake is named for its proximity to Pigeon Lake.[5] The lake itself was so named around 1858 by James Hector of the Palliser Expedition, likely due to the abundance of passenger pigeons (now extinct) in the area.[6] The lake is also known as Woodpecker Lake in the Cree language.[7]

Environment

White-tailed and mule deer live in the vicinity of the Village at Pigeon Lake, as do coyotes, stripes skunks, and ground squirrels.[8]

History

Pre-settlement

Before the settlement of Canada, the site of the Village at Pigeon Lake was frequented by members of the Cree and Stoney First Nations, who accessed the area to fish and hunt.[7]

Village at Pigeon Lake

Before the hamlet's formal establishment, the site contained scattered residential properties, used by tourists and full-time residents seeking access to Pigeon Lake for recreational purposes.[9]

In 1995, developer Terry Myers proposed introducing a planned community near the water, to be named the Village at Pigeon Lake.[9][10][11] The community was designed to be a self-contained beachside resort, incorporating amenities, businesses, services, and residential properties.[12] Myers based its architecture on historic prairie towns,[13] and incorporated protections for the area's existing spruce trees and other flora in the hamlet's design.[10][14] The resort was largely completed by 1998.[15]

In 2007, the Village at Pigeon Lake became the home of the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association, an environmental non-profit organization dedicating to conserving Pigeon Lake and its surrounding watershed.[16][17]

Demographics

The Village at Pigeon Lake recorded a permanent population of 77 in the 2006 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada.[1]

Services and amenities

The Village at Pigeon Lake's town square, pictured 2017.

Services

As of 2026, the Village at Pigeon Lake is home to around 16 commercial stores and restaurants, as well as a hotel and spa.[18][19] Several small farms that sell fresh produce operate in the area.[7]

Health services are accessible in Wetaskiwin and Winfield, while emergency fire services are provided through the South Pigeon Lake Fire Department.[4]

Amenities

The Village at Pigeon Lake's tourist operations are open all year,[20] and it also hosts seasonal events to celebrate public holidays.[21][22][23] The hamlet is close to three golf courses,[14] several RV parks[24] and Pigeon Lake Provincial Park.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Alberta Population Summary: Alberta's Hamlets Alphabetically, 2010" (PDF). Alberta Population. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 11, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  3. ↑ Cohen, Saul Bernard (2008). The Columbia Gazetteer of the World: A to G. Columbia University Press. p. 4235. ISBN 978-0-231-14554-1.
  4. 1 2 County Of Wetaskiwin. "Village at Pigeon Lake". Wetaskiwin County, AB. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  5. ↑ Alberta Culture (January 2025). "Pigeon Lake, Village at". Alberta Geographical Names Web Map. Text visible upon selecting yellow circle.
  6. ↑ Alberta Culture (January 2025). "Pigeon Lake". Alberta Geographical Names Web Map. Text visible upon selecting the yellow circle.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Larmour, Judy; Saley, Henry (April 4, 2007). Stop the Car!: Discovering Central Alberta. TouchWood Editions. pp. 32–34. ISBN 978-1-894739-03-0.
  8. ↑ Alberta Parks (January 1, 2016). Welcome to the Pigeon Lake Yurt: user manual & visitor guide, large yurt [2016]. Government of Alberta. p. 16.
  9. 1 2 MacDonald, Jac (August 5, 1995). "Real estate tycoon returns to his roots; Pigeon Lake set to turn into regular community". Edmonton Journal. p. 36.
  10. 1 2 Dolphin, Ric (August 24, 1998). "Construction of The Village a boyhood dream come true". Edmonton Journal. p. 5.
  11. ↑ "McKelvie Bridge Opening" (PDF). Alberta Trail Tracker. Spring 2010. p. 6.
  12. ↑ "1987 - Development of The Village at Pigeon Lake". Pigeon Lake Watershed Association. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  13. ↑ MacLean, Mairi (February 2, 1999). "Farm vacations sprouting as rural growth industry". Edmonton Journal. p. 1.
  14. 1 2 Schultz, Judy (July 4, 1998). "Village respects nature". Edmonton Journal. p. 3.
  15. ↑ Simpson, Joan (July 4, 1998). "Edmonton has splendid getaways". Edmonton Journal. p. 97.
  16. ↑ PLWA (2013). Annual Report 2012/2013 (PDF). Pigeon Lake Watershed Association. p. 4.
  17. ↑ PLWA (January 12, 2026). "What We Do". Pigeon Lake Watershed Association. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  18. ↑ The Village At Pigeon Lake. "The Resort". villageatpigeonlake.com. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  19. ↑ Max, Christina (July 23, 2025). "Surprise yourself with a staycation or vacation in the Wetaskiwin region". Wetaskiwin Times.
  20. ↑ Road Trip Alberta (April 30, 2022). "The Best Pigeon Lake Campgrounds and Nearby". Road Trip Alberta. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  21. ↑ Stuart, Ryan (September 27, 2022). "Cottage real estate region: Pigeon Lake". Cottage Life. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  22. ↑ Max, Christina (June 19, 2024). "Wetaskiwin, Millet, Pigeon Lake celebrating Canada Day". Wetaskiwin Times.
  23. ↑ Max, Christina (December 18, 2024). "Elf in the Village holiday celebration". Wetaskiwin Times.
  24. ↑ Quokka Systems Consulting. "Pigeon Lake Accommodations". Travel in Alberta.
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