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Taber Suffield/Ralston
Ken Gousseau opportunities, Henderson says people are
Medicine Hat News attracted to the area by the quiet country
lifestyle.
Suffield and Ralston have the unique Despite the prominence of the army base,
distinction of being situated near one of the Henderson says Suffield still has a community
Phot
largest live fire training areas in the western feel, with an active community association
o C
our world. – the Gopherettes – who schedule a variety of
t
esy
T
Located amid farms, ranches and oil and
events throughout the year at the local hall,
aber
T
gas sites, Canadian Forces Base Suffield
including card nights.
Ken Gousseau
imes
has a workforce of more than 100 military The British Army Training Unit Suffield
Medicine Hat News
personnel and nearly 600 civilian employees. (BATUS) is also located in the area. BATUS
The town of Suffield has a much smaller
has more than 200 permanent staff.
Some say Taber is the town that water
population of 224 and about 336 people, Ralston, a military community based on
built.
with abundant opportunities in the oil predominantly military personnel, live in a British-style wagonwheel design, has a
After the mining boom busted in the
and gas, agricultural and food processing nearby Ralston. kindergarten to Grade 9 school that teaches
late 1920’s, the town shifted focus on
sectors.
“There’s a very strong oil and gas sector in
the children of both British and Canadian
developing irrigation, which eventually led
Thirty more foreign workers are expected
and around the Suffield area and up in the
army personnel.
to sugar beet production and the creation
to arrive from the Philippines in January
CFB Suffield Block,” adds Doug Henderson, In 1941, Suffield – named after Canadian
of Taber’s largest employer, the Roger’s
further ease the labour shortage. Early in
the Cypress County assistant manager Pacific Railway financier, Charles Harbord,
Sugar plant.
responsible for the area. Fifth Baron of Suffield – became home to a
the new year, the municipal government
y known as “Tank
will be initiating an inclusion study in an
“There’s lots of activity and because there’s so
joint British-Canadian experimental station
The town was originall
many wells in the ground now that they’ll be
for biological and chemical warfare.
No. 77,” the site where Canadian Pacific
effort to meet the needs of new immigrants
carrying on for many years.” The base was later named CFB Suffield, and
Railway trains stopped to fill up with
and make them feel more welcome in
water. In 1907, the CPR named the area
Taber.
Apart from the abundance of employment
since then has functioned as a site for defence
research and military training.
“Tabor.”
The town is perhaps best known as the
However, after realizing that most people
corn capital of the prairies, with hot
spelled the town’s name with a letter ‘e’
summer days warming up the sandy-loam
instead of ‘o’ the CPR changed the town’s
soil in the area, creating perfect growing
moniker to Taber.
conditions for corn. The cooler nights
bring up the sugar in the corn.
Today, more than 7,500 people call the
town home, and over 30 per cent of
Taber is also well known for the 37-turbine
residents are under the age of 15, making
Enmax wind farm in the area, which boasts come
it the fourth-youngest small town in the
an 81.4-megawatt capacity.
country, according to Statistics Canada.
The town recently completed a $2 million
“For a community of our size, we have
upgrade to the mechanical and ventilation
learn
tremendous recreation facilities,” says
systems in community’s Aquafun indoor
Taber Mayor Ray Bryant. “We can
aquatic centre. In January, the municipality
attract individuals and families to our
– led by town councillors Louie Tams,
explore
community.”
Abe Andres, John Papp, Terry Sargeant,
Garth Bekkering and Murray Rochelle
Recently, Taber has also been attracting
– will be commissioning a new wastewater
immigrants, primarily from the Philippines,
treatment plant worth $14.5 million.
to address a labour shortage in a job market
8 Gehring Road SW p: (403) 527 6422
Medicine Hat, Alberta f: (403) 528 2682
Canada, T1B 4W1 toll free: 1 800 481 2822
www.tourismmedicinehat.com
V I S I T O R I N F O R M A T I O N C E N T R E
40260949•03/24/09
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