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Berwyn Community Profile
It is my pleasure, on behalf of the Municipal Council, to welcome you to the
Village of Berwyn. Berwyn is a progressive community centrally situated to
serve a large and productive agricultural area. The village is served by a
primary highway, which connects to other major routes within a few miles of
the village. In addition, the Peace River Municipal Airport is within one
half hour's drive from the village. Berwyn is, therefore, ideally suited for
industrial and commercial economic growth.
The Council of the village, in cooperation with the Berwyn and District
Chamber of Commerce, actively promotes the village as a spot to locate,
either business or residence. The Council of the village is proud of the
community and its accomplishments, which include a substantial improvement in
the "quality of life", most notably in the recreational area.
Again, welcome to the Village of Berwyn. I hope that you will enjoy your stay
in our village, whatever the length and for whatever the purpose.
May Rowe
Mayor of Berwyn
Area Overview
The Village of Berwyn can
be found nestled within the Peace River Region of northwestern Alberta. The
region is noted for its long daylight hours in summer-
time and friendly people.
Because of the long summer days and good soil, the
Peace Country is able to
produce high quality agricultural crops. Other resource-
related industries that are
important to the region include forestry and the oil and
gas companies.
After being surveyed for homesteads in 1910, the settlement was given the
name Berwyn in 1922 after the Village of Berwyn in Denbigshire, Wales. In
1936, Berwyn was incorporated as a village and has maintained this status
ever since.
Location
The Village of Berwyn is located in the Municipal District of Peace River
#135, adjacent to Highway 2. It is only 37 km from the Town of Peace River.
Economic Base
Berwyn depends primarily on agriculture for its economic base. Major crops
are
are wheat, barley, canola
and oats. In 1980, Berwyn had
the third largest total
sales of machinery and
implements in Alberta.
Economic Facts
In the area surrounding Berwyn, agricultural production has flourished. With
an average of 93 frost free days and 2,060 hours of sunshine every year, the
climate is fitting for farming. With good soil and reasonable land rental
prices, it is expected that farming in this area of Alberta will continue to
be prosperous.
Major Businesses
Heavy Equipment Contractors
Retailers
Automotive Dealer
Many Home Based Businesses
Trucking Firms
Financial Institutions
Alberta Treasury Branch
Utilities
Electrical
Power
Atco Electric Ltd.
P.O. Box 2429
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 4M7
Tel: 1-800-668-2248
Alberta Power Ltd. provides the village with residential single-phase and
3-phase commercial services.
Natural Gas
Atco Gas
10035 - 105 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 2V6
Tel: 1-888-511-7550
Natural gas is the principle source of heating in Berwyn.
Telephone
Telus Communications
P.O. Box 2422
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 2S7
Tel: 310-2255
Water Supply
Berwyn obtains its water supply from a municipal reservoir and three
community wells. Water does not require any treatment and is distributed
throughout the village by a piped system. The reservoir has a capacity of
approximately 200,000 gallons. The monthly water rate for residential is
$19.00, Reduced Residential Rate (guaranteed income supplement, widow or
disability pension) is $15.00, Commercial $22.00, Institutional $26.00,
Unoccupied/infrequently occupied residences $15.00.
Waste Management
Sewage is collected via a piped system. Sewage is disposed of in municipal
lagoons and is treated by organic means. The lagoons have a holding capacity
of 30 million gallons. The monthly sewer rate for residential is $15.00,
Reduced Residential Rate (guaranteed income supplement, widow or disability
pension) is $7.00, Commercial $18.00, Institutional $66.00,
Unoccupied/infrequently occupied residences $10.00.
Household garbage is collected once a week, while commercial collection
occurs anywhere from once to three times a week depending on need. Then
municipal waste is disposed of at the Long Lake Regional Landfill site.
Residents may haul their larger items to either the transfer site at Grimshaw
or to the main site at Long Lake. The residential monthly rate for waste
disposal is $13.00, Institutional (Schools) $18.00. There is also a monthly
fee for all classifications of $1.00 for recycling.
Taxation
Mill Rates [2006]
Residential – 30.0
Non-Residential – 32.218
Transportation
Air Services
The nearest airport is the Peace River Municipal Airport. This all-weather
facility has a 5,000 foot paved runway.
Peace Air offers scheduled flights to Edmonton, Calgary, and a number
of other centres in Alberta and British Columbia, and also provides charter
service. Budget, Avis and Tilden
vehicle rentals are available at the airport.
Local charter services are provided by: Northern Air Charter [P.R.] Inc.
[Tel: 780-624-1911]; Highland Helicopters Ltd. [Tel: 780-624-5555]; Peace Air
Ltd. [Tel: 780-624-3060]; and Ultra Helicopters Ltd. [780-332-2995]. Grimshaw
has a grass strip, which is only open in the summer months.
Highways
The main connecting highway is Highway 2 leading west to Fairview and east to
Grimshaw and Peace River.
Trucking Firms
K & F Trucking Ltd.
Lorette Truck Service Ltd.
Mullen Trucking Ltd.
Tom Yaskinski Trucking Ltd.
LAG Trucking
Bus
Services
Greyhound Canada provides regularly scheduled inter-community passenger and
freight service. Berwyn Pharmacy
Ltd. on Main Street in Berwyn acts as an agent for Greyhound Canada.
Couriers
Greyhound Courier Express and other companies in Peace River serve Berwyn.
They include Loomis, and Purolator. Purolator also has a drop off point in
Grimshaw at Beyond 2000.
Communication
Newspapers
Weekly: The Mile Zero News [Grimshaw], The Record Gazette [Peace River], The
Post [Fairview].
Daily: The Edmonton Sun, The Edmonton Journal.
Radio Stations
Berwyn receives 610 CKYL [AM] Peace River; 106.1 KIX [FM] Peace
River/Grimshaw; 840 CJXX [AM] Grande Prairie; 104.3 SUN [FM] Grande Prairie;
96.9 CKUA [FM] Edmonton; 102.5 CBC [FM] Edmonton and 92.5 CBC [FM] Edmonton
[French].
Television Stations
Berwyn receives CBC Edmonton [CBXT], CTV Edmonton [CFRN] and Regional Cable.
[15 Channels].
Community Lifestyle
Recreation
Local recreation facilities include the Tower Park Recreational Area [camping
stalls, picnic area, trailer dumping station, 3 baseball diamonds, 2 tennis
courts and cross-country ski-trails], Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park,
playgrounds, Berwyn Arena [skating, hockey, meeting facilities], Berwyn Elks
Hall and the Legion Hall.
Community Organizations
Local organizations and clubs include the Alleycats [skipping club],
Agricultural Society, Arts & Crafts Club, Catholic Women’s League,
Chamber of Commerce, Golden Age Club [for seniors], Grimshaw – Berwyn
Community Adult Learning, Women’s Institute, B.P.O. Elks, Legion Ladies
Auxiliary, North Peace Stampede Association, Royal Canadian Legion, Royal
Purple Ladies, Berwyn Fiesta Committee, Citizens on Patrol, Playschool
Society, and 4-H Clubs.
Religious Services
Bissel Memorial United Church
Christ Church Anglican
Salvation Army
Special Annual Events/Attractions
June – Berwyn Agricultural Society Bench Show
June –
Berwyn’s Senior Citizen’s Week Celebrations
July – Canada Day
Celebrations
July/August –
Annual Mixed Slow-Pitch Tournaments
July –
Berwyn’s Children’s Summer Fun Program
August –
Berwyn Fiesta Days
August –
Berwyn’s Annual Flower and Craft Show
December
–Berwyn’s Super Saturday
December –
Berwyn’s New Year’s Eve Family Celebration!
Hospitality/Accommodation
Berwyn Hotel
Education
Berwyn is part of the Peace River School Division #10, headquartered in Peace
River [Tel: 780-624-3601].
Public schools in Berwyn include the Berwyn Kindergarten and The Lloyd Garrison
School [1-9].
A Roman Catholic school is located in Grimshaw, 11 km away. Separate school
students are bussed from Berwyn to Grimshaw.
Daycare/Nursery
The Berwyn Playschool Society offers sessions for three and four year olds.
Post-Secondary Education
Grande Prairie Regional College is located in Grand Prairie, and NAIT College
is located in Fairview and Peace River.
Health Care
Berwyn is in the Peace Country Health Region. The Peace River Community
Health Centre has 30 acute care beds. The Grimshaw Berwyn & District
Community Health Centre has emergency (24 hour), laboratory, radiology
services, including long-term continuing care beds.
The Peace River Health Unit is available at the Village Office on the fourth
Wednesday of each month for general immunization [Tel: 780-624-3611].
Senior citizen facilities include the Autumn Lodge [50 bed senior citizens'
home], and the Autumn Villa [8 senior citizens' self-contained units].
Emergency Services
Fire Protection
The village operates a fire hall, and protection is provided by a 10-member
volunteer fire department with two vehicles [Tel: 911].
Police Services
Berwyn is served by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Grimshaw Detachment
[Tel: 780-332-4666]. Berwyn's Citizens on Patrol also offer volunteer police
patrols on a regular basis.
Ambulance
Services
The Peace Regional Emergency Medical Services (PREMS) provides ground
ambulance service. Advanced Life
Flight provides air ambulance services to Grimshaw. Ambulance services can be
accessed by dialing 911.
Community Services
Municipal
Village of Berwyn
P.O. Box 250
Berwyn, Alberta
T0H 0E0
Tel: 780-338-3922
Fax: 780-338-2224
Email: vberwyn@telusplanet.net
Website: http://www.berwyn.govoffice.com
Town
Office
Village Recreation Board
Berwyn Women's Institute Municipal Library
Mackenzie Municipal
Services Agency
Box 450
Berwyn AB T0H 0E0
Tel: 780-338-3862
Fax: 780-338-3811
Email: mmsa@ccinnet.ab.ca
Website: http://www.peacenet.com./~mmsa/
Federal
Canada Post Office
Key Contacts for Business Development
Municipal
Village of Berwyn
P.O. Box 250
Berwyn, Alberta
T0H 0E0
Tel: 780-338-3922
Fax: 780-338-2224
Email: vberwyn@telusplanet.net
Website: http://www.berwyn.govoffice.com
May Rowe
Mayor
Harry Aspin
Administrator
Economic
Development
Lac Cardinal Regional Economic Development Board
Box 377
Grimshaw, Alberta
T0H 1W0
Tel: (780) 332-1169
Fax: (780) 332-1178
Email: lcred@telusplanet.net
Website: http://www.lcredb-ecdev.com
Brian Allen
Chairman
Provincial
Michael
Cheeks, Manager
Alberta Economic Development
Postal Bag 900 - 3
105 Provincial Building
9626 - 96 Avenue
Peace River, Alberta
T8S 1T4
Tel: 780-624-6114
Fax: 403-624-6490
Email: michael.cheeks@gov.ab.ca
Bob Hall,
Regional Manager
Alberta Economic Development
1401 Provinical Building
10320 - 99 Street
Grande Prairie AB T8V 6J4
Tel: 780-538-5230
Fax: 780-538-5332
Email: bob.hall@gov.ab.ca.net
Hector Goudreau
Member of the Legislative Assembly [MLA]
Dunvegan Constituency
513 Legislature Building, 10800 - 97 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 2B6
Tel: 780-415-9421
Fax: 780-422-1671
Federal
Chris Warkentin
Member of Parliament [MP]
Room 413, Justice Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Tel: 613-992-5685
Fax: 613-947-4782
Email: warkentin.c@parl.gc.ca
Constituency
Office:
#207, 10605 West Side Drive
Grande Prairie, Alberta
T8V 8E6
Tel: 780-538-1677
Fax: 780-538-9257
Email: warkec1@parl.gc.ca
For more information on the Village of Berwyn please check out the
following websites:
Website: http://www.berwyn.govoffice.com
Website: http://www.statcan.ca/
Website: www.albertafirst.com
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