Sylvan Lake is a charming village located about 25 kilometers west of Red Deer on Highway 11 or 11A in central Alberta, Canada. It is located on the southeast shore of 15-kilometer-long Sylvan Lake, a freshwater body that forms the border between the counties of Red Deer and Lacombe. About a million people visit the lake every year for swimming, water skiing, sunbathing, and to see Camp Woods, which played host to the 12th Canadian Scout Jamboree in July 2013. The lake is a popular tourist destination.
The area that would become Sylvan Lake was originally ceded to the Crown by the First Nations under Treaty 6 in 1877. The town was settled by French-speaking immigrants from Quebec and the United States, with Alexandre Loiselle and his family being the first settlers in 1898. The lake, originally known as Snake Lake due to the numerous garter snakes in the area, was renamed Sylvan Lake in 1903. “Sylvan” is derived from the Latin word sylvanus, meaning “of a forest.”
In the early 20th century, Estonian and Finnish settlers contributed to the growth of the fledgling community, bringing a variety of businesses. The arrival of the Canadian Northern and Canadian Pacific railways in the early 1910s facilitated further development and led to Sylvan Lake’s incorporation as a town in 1913. Farming quickly became a mainstay, and the area developed a vibrant summer resort community, attracting visitors from Red Deer, Edmonton, and Calgary.
Sylvan Lake’s recreational appeal has grown over the decades, with the construction of facilities like the Wild Rapids Waterslides in 1983, the largest facility of its kind in western Canada until its closure in 2016. The Sylvan Lake Marina and lighthouse were developed to support the growing boating community. In 2014, Sylvan Lake won the Kraft Hockeyville contest, earning a large cash prize and hosting an NHL pre-season game between the Calgary Flames and the Arizona Coyotes.
Geographically, Sylvan Lake is bordered by the summer villages of Norglenwold and Jarvis Bay to the northwest and northeast, respectively. The town experiences a subarctic climate with long, cold winters and short, mild summers, making it a year-round destination for summer and winter sports.
Campsites, picnic spaces, the marina, provincial parks, convenience stores, dining options, historic walking trails, public beaches, and boat rentals are just a few of Sylvan Lake’s amenities. Swimming, tanning, water skiing, boating, fishing, beach volleyball, dragon boat racing, hiking, nature walks, sightseeing tours, and winter sports like ice fishing and cross-country skiing are just a few of the activities available to visitors.
Sylvan Lake is a year-round destination for adventure and relaxation because it provides a delightful fusion of historical significance and contemporary comforts.