Bonnyville, Alberta is a town of 6,470 (2009) situated in northern Alberta between the larger municipalities of St. Paul and Cold Lake. It is the seat of government of the Municipal District of Bonnyville #87, which surrounds the City of Cold Lake and also includes the Village of Glendon.
Bonnyville has large reserves of oil underfoot, and this, coupled with agricultural resources, many other industries, and a strategic location between the markets of St. Paul and Cold Lake, have blessed the town with one of the most vibrant and diverse economies in Alberta. On the south end of town is Jessie Lake, which is an important staging area for thousands of migrating birds, and therefore an excellent bird-watching spot. Other important lakes near Bonnyville include Moose Lake and Muriel Lake.
Of all the western provinces, Alberta has the largest Francophone population, and Bonnyville’s density of Francophones is much higher than the provincial average. It is home to Ecole des Beaux Lacs, which is one of the few all-Francophone schools in Alberta.
Currently, Bonnyville - Cold Lake’s representative in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta is Genia Leskiw. She is a member of the Progressive Conservatives and sits on several committees.
In celebration of Bonnyville’s centennial year 2007, the Town of Bonnyville together with the M.D. of Bonnyville constructed the Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre, locally known as the C2. The $25 million facility opened in the fall of 2007 and is an educational and recreational centre. Portage College Bonnyville campus relocated to the C2 in 2007 which allowed for expanded programming. The Centennial Centre is the Lakeland’s full-service facility for recreation, fitness, and conferencing. It includes: 2 ice rinks, a leisure pond, indoor track, field house, climbing wall, indoor playground and Wellness Centre (with weight machines, cardiovascular training equipment, and dance/aerobics room.) Also housed in this facility are a café, restaurant, and conference/meeting rooms. The Bonnyville Pontiacs, an AJHL team, practice and play their home games here.
Located just a few minutes west of Bonnyville is Moose Lake, which has many lakeshore executive homes. Near Moose Lake is Willow Ridge, Lakeland’s newest premiere country residential subdivision. It boasts street lighting, walking paths, a kids’ playground, soccer pitch and over 35 acres of environmental reserve to ensure that nature’s corridor is left undisturbed. Some homes currently under construction are for sale, and 1.5 to 2 acre lots are still available for purchase through V Realty GMAC Real Estate.
For further information about Bonnyville and the surrounding area, please feel free to call Marcel or Christine, and we will provide you with further details.
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