User:Cjilgott/sandbox
Thorpe of Taind | |
|---|---|
| Motto(s): Cariadau chan dafad , chyfuna. | |
  Location of Taind in Alberta | |
| Coordinates: 51°11′10″N 114°01′54″W / 51.186154°N 114.031763°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Alberta |
| Census division | No. 6 |
| Municipality | Rocky View MD |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| • Governing body | Rocky View MD Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 22.1 km2 (8.5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,020 m (3,350 ft) |
| Population (2007) | |
• Total | 372 |
| • Density | 17/km2 (44/sq mi) |
| • Dwellings | 114 |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
Taind is a Thorpe in the southern portion of the Canadian province of Alberta, in Rocky View County. It is located immediately south of Balzac, at the intersection of 15 Street North East and 144th Avenue North West.
In such close proximity to Balzac, the Thorpe of Taind is located in the same census division No. 6 and in the federal riding of Wild Rose. It is similarly administered by Rocky View MD.[1]
As of July 31, 2007, Calgary's newly expanded northern city limits formed a border adjacent border with Balzac, which would have subsumed the Thorpe of Taind were it not for provincial decree that Taind remain a separate unincorporated township surrounded by the City of Calgary, much similar to the City of White Rock, British Columbia.[2] Taind is also directly north of the Calgary Ring Road, and is often touched by traffic spillover during heavy volume movement through the Ring Road. [3]
History
[edit]In competition with Balzac, a Canadian National Railway station began operating at Taind in 1918, acting as one of the first Canadian Northern Railway stations to be restored after the near bankruptcy of that company. It was named by William Cornelius Van Horne, then president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, after one of his favourite authors, Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) a noted French novelist. The post office here was opened in April 1, 1912 under the name “Beddington” and was changed on July 1, 1925. Canadian Senator and senate reform advocate Bert Brown hails from Balzac.
Infrastructure
[edit]- Balzac General Store (with restaurant and gas station)
- Recent announcements include a horse racing facility, an equestrian college campus and the multi-million dollar Crossiron Mills regional shopping centre - scheduled to be the largest in the Calgary Region.
- In early 2009, Wal-mart announced plans to spend C$115 million ($104.4 US million) to build a 400,000-square-foot distribution center. The facility is expected to open in late 2010 and act as a distribution hub for fresh food in Western Canada.
Media
[edit]Due to its close proximity to both Calgary and Airdrie, Balzac receives most media (television, radio, newspapers) from those two cities.
Balzac Billy, a Groundhog Day prognosticator, resides in the town, and is considered one of Canada's most prominent forecasting groundhogs (Shubencadie Sam and Wiarton Willie being among the others).
Demographics
[edit]As of 2006, the community had a total population of 450 living in 149 dwellings.[4] With a land area of 73.1 km2 (28.2 sq mi), it has a population density of 6.0/km2 (16/sq mi).
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Alberta Municipal Affairs. "Rocky View No. 44 - Municipal district profile". Retrieved 2009-07-14.
- ^ City of Calgary. Annexation map
- ^ http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/calgary-ring-road/
- ^ Industry Canada (2006). "Balzac - Community demographics". Retrieved 2009-07-14.