Grimshaw
Hardy, healthy and hard-working. Homesteaders opening Alberta’s north country in the early 1900s needed to be all that if they expected to make a life for themselves in the Peace region.But make a life for themselves they did, clearing bush, making the most of long, cold winters, and building community after community out of the rugged wilderness.
Such a community is Grimshaw, for many years just “a stop” on the E.D. & BC Railway line (Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway)
Incorporated in 1921 as a village and 1953 as a town, the Town of Grimshaw is now a thriving community of more than 2,500 that prides itself on being “Mile Zero on the Mackenzie Highway” and a major service centre for the region.
Safe streets, clean air and perhaps the best water ever tasted make Grimshaw a great place to raise a family. The community boasts an arena, outdoor pool, library, fitness centre, skateboard park, RV park, curling rink, numerous parks and playgrounds, Elks Hall and Legion Hall. Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park and Lac Cardinal as well as Wilderness Park are only minutes away, as are three golf courses.
With a trading area of more than 7,000 and an extended trading area of 32,000 plus, Grimshaw is ideal for those with an entrepreneurial spirit – especially for those with something to offer in the oil and gas, agricultural or forestry sectors.Expecting perhaps to find nothing but northern bush and muskeg, visitors to the region will be surprised at the wide open sky that greets them. The gentle rolling landscape is prime real estate for the varied wildlife that makes its home in the area. Expect to see deer, moose, lynx, bobcat, coyote and the odd fox as you travel throughout the region.
As well, game birds are abundant in the area. In fact, you’ll want to stop at Lac Cardinal, just minutes northwest of Grimshaw, to explore a Northern Alberta wetlands and visit with the ducks, geese, cranes and other birds that make their homes here. Lac Cardinal is also home to the Pioneer Village Museum, which features buildings from a pioneer town site.
The Historic Mile Zero Mackenzie Park and the Tom Baldwin Memorial Arboretum are located at the corner of Highway 2 and 2A and serves as a fully landscaped passive recreational interpretive park reflecting local and regional history. The interpretive signs situated along the walking path reflect the history of the communities along the Mackenzie Highway. The Tom Baldwin Memorial Arboretum was established in memory of Tom Baldwin and provides an educational component to visitors and the local schools to learn about the different species of trees in our forests. The Visitor Information Centre is also located within the park and provides tourists with pertinent information to guide them in their travels. Across the street, is the Mile 0 Antique Truck Museum, which is dedicated to the restoration of international trucks. The largest truck museum north of Edmonton, it has two dozen restored internationals that date from 1936 to 1953 and a fully restored 1926 Ford Model T. It is also home to a one-of-a-kind Mobile Interpretive Centre depicting the history of the Mackenzie Highway.
In Grimshaw, you’ll find plenty of places to stay for the night, some great food, and a variety of service stations.
Grimshaw – Mile Zero on the Mackenzie Highway. It’s a great place to begin your trek.