A Brief History of Sylvan Lake
Originally settled by French speaking immigrants from Quebec and the United States, the Sylvan Lake area has always had a unique flavor. Arriving in 1898 from Michigan, Alexandre Loiselle and his family originally homesteaded on the quarter section that later became the west side of today’s Main (50th) Street and the businesses and homes immediately to the west.
Canadian National Station—Sylvan Lake
The early twentieth century saw groups of Finnish settlers moving on to homesteads to the south and west of the fledgling settlement at Sylvan Lake. With their arrival came the early business community, a general store, a blacksmith, a hardware store, post office, barber, restaurants and more. The completion of the Canadian Northern line to Rocky Mountain House and Nordegg in 1912 and the parallel Canadian Pacific in 1914 opened the west country to settlement and resulted in the incorporation of Sylvan Lake in 1913 under Mayor E. S. Grimson, a local hardware store owner. The anniversary of the founding of the town is celebrated every year in Sylvan Lake at 1913 Days.
Canadian Pacific Station—Sylvan Lake
Farming quickly became a mainstay in the area and in 1923 an Alberta Pacific grain elevator was built on the CPR line immediately north of what is now Cottonwood Estates.
The elevator was torn down in the 1970’s and the CPR line was abandoned in 1980 and subsequently removed. Since then, the right of way has survived as a natural area and walking path through Sylvan Lake. Elevators were also constructed along the CN line and were used by local farmers in the mid-century decades. They were torn down in the late 1990’s.
Even prior to the building of the railways, Sylvan Lake was quickly becoming a summer resort for families in Red Deer. With the coming of the trains, “the Lake” quickly became a favorite of families from both Edmonton and Calgary. Initially the summer people camped in tents, but soon the “Cottage Area ” east of 46 Street and in “Lower Camp ” on the southeast shore began to fill with summer cottages. In the 1930’s and 40’s people also began arriving by car and the areas around Norglenwold and Jarvis Bay began to fill up with summer visitors.
Sylvan Lake School
The influx of summer residents and visitors also brought businesses and services that catered to the ever increasing number of tourists. 1913 saw the first motor launch to take paying passengers on tours around the lake. A large boathouse was constructed in 1926, allowing visitors to rent a boat, canoe or swimsuit, buy ice cream and pop as well as many other items necessary to a summer day at the lake. Regatta’s were also held on the lake for a number of years beginning in 1923.
In 1928 the Dominion Government, assisted by the Sylvan Lake Women’s Institute, built the long pier that jutted out into the lake from the bottom of Main Street. This pier was connected to the earlier WI Pier and formed a square area used for swimming and mooring boats. The first “waterslide” at Sylvan Lake was also part of this facility. The piers were prone to ice damage over the winter and were finally replaced by the existing “landfill” that now hosts beach volleyball tournaments as well as the entertaining lake tour on the “Zoo Cruise”.
In 1983 Sylvan Lake found a replacement for it’s original waterslide in the construction of Wild Rapids Waterslide, which has become the largest facility of it’s kind in western Canada.
Another byproduct of losing the piers and later the government boat launch, was the construction of the Sylvan Lake Marina, home of many of the permanent boats on the lake, boating facilities, as well as a lake view restaurant and the Sylvan Lake lighthouse.
Sylvan Lake Hotel
For many years dancing was a popular activity in Sylvan Lake. Beginning in the 1920’s with the Oriental Gardens, the Elks Hall and the Alexander Pavilion, bands would play and people from Red Deer, Calgary and Edmonton would come to dance. They were followed later by Varsity Hall and through the 1960’s and 70’s Sylvan remained a hot spot to come to listen to bands and to dance. By 1978 however, Varsity Hall had seen it’s last dance and had a date with the wrecker.
Summer camps have also been longstanding tradition in Sylvan Lake. From the numerous church camps through the Naval Cadet Camp to the current Sylvan Lake Summer Hockey Camp, Sylvan has always provided a high level of entertainment to summer visitors.
Golf has also been a summer tradition at the lake, with the Sylvan Lake Golf and Country Club being first established in 1931 as a nine hole course. Today, the Golf and Country Club, Lakewood Golf Resort, Top O’ The Hill Par 3 and Sylvan Southland Golf Resort provide golfers with a wide range of challenges and pleasures.
Over the last ten years, Sylvan Lake has been one of the fastest growing towns in Alberta and in all of Canada. With new housing and business facilities coming on stream almost daily, Sylvan Lake is a community that takes pride in it’s past and looks to the promise of the future.
Look to Sylvan Lake when you’re looking for Opportunity!