Country Canada Region Central Alberta Founded 1907 Elevation 640 m Local time Monday 10:42 AM | Province Alberta Census Division No. 12 Time zone MST (UTC-7) Population 290 (2016) Municipal district Smoky Lake County | |
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Weather 3°C, Wind NW at 11 km/h, 73% Humidity | ||
Vilna is a historic village in central Alberta, Canada.
Contents
Map of Vilna, AB, Canada
Vilna is located in Smoky Lake County, on Highway 28, 150 km (93.2 mi) northeast of the city of Edmonton. Bonnie Lake Provincial Recreation Area is located 6 km (3.7 mi) north of the community, on the shores of Bonnie Lake.
History
Vilna was founded in 1907, mostly by central European settlers, and started to develop in 1919, when the railroad reached this area. It was named in 1920 after the Lithuanian capital city of Vilnius, similarly to the community of Wilno in Ontario, Canada. Prior to 1920, the local post office was named "Villette". Vilna was incorporated as a village on June 13, 1923.
On February 5, 1967, Vilna experienced a meteor air burst with a yield estimated at about 600 tonnes of TNT (2.5 TJ). Subsequently two very small meteorite fragments were found – 48 milligrams (0.74 grains) and 94 milligrams (1.45 gr) which are now stored at University of Alberta, in Edmonton.
Demographics
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Vilna recorded a population of 290 living in 114 of its 143 total private dwellings, a 16.5% change from its 2011 population of 249. With a land area of 0.96 km2 (0.37 sq mi), it had a population density of 302.1/km2 (782.4/sq mi) in 2016.
The Village of Vilna's 2012 municipal census counted a population of 290.
In the 2011 Census, the Village of Vilna had a population of 249 living in 111 of its 135 total dwellings, a -9.1% change from its 2006 population of 274. With a land area of 0.9 km2 (0.35 sq mi), it had a population density of 276.7/km2 (716.6/sq mi) in 2011.
In 2006, Vilna had a population of 274 living in 145 dwellings, a 1.9% increase from 2001. The village has a land area of 0.90 km2 (0.35 sq mi) and a population density of 305.3/km2 (791/sq mi).
Attractions
The town claims to be home to the world's largest metal sculpture mushroom.