Category: Ft Mac

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What is the Night Life in Fort MacMurray Like?

The night life in Fort MacMurray has plenty to offer no matter what type of party, entertainment, club, or pub you are looking for. When the sun goes down things really start to heat up, and there is plenty to see and do for almost all ages and preferences. Podollan Pub on Franklin Ave. is a great spot to toss back a few, enjoy the relaxing atmosphere, and possibly grab a bite to eat. The Wood Buffalo Brewing Company is another top favorite in Fort MacMurray for visitors and residents both. This establishment offers exceptional beer selections and good food, just be prepared to wait a little for service if there are large crowds. The environment at the  Wood Buffalo Brewing Company is fun and exciting.

There are many places to enjoy the night life in Fort MacMurray. If you are looking for adult entertainment then you may want to stop by Showgirls Exotic Nighclub, one of the top strip clubs in the area. This is much more than just a gentleman’s club though, many young men and even women come to this club to party hard and have some fun. Alexander’s Lounge is another popular hotspot for anyone who wants good food, good drinks, and a great time. Paddy McSwiggins is another Fort MacMurray bar and eatery that receives high marks from customers and regulars. There is also Bailey’s Pub, the Oil Can, Brewbakers Pub, Live Bar and Grill, and Longshots among others. The wide variety of options for night life in Fort MacMurray is refreshing for such a remote place.

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Ft Mac World

Fascinating Facts About the Cree

  • The Cree language is still widely spoken today, and it is one of the few First Nations languages that has not started to die out or is considered at risk in any way.
  • The Cree still have populations in much of Canada and even some of the USA.
  • The Cree call white men “whem-stook-ooshoo”, and this means from the wooden island when roughly translated. It is believed that this is the name used because the Europeans arrived in wooden boats and ships.
  • As one of the 3 largest tribes still thriving in North America the Cree population numbers may be surprising. It is estimated that more than 200,000 Cree are still living today.
  • The Metis people in Canada are descendants of Cree and the French Canadian explorers who visited the area. The estimated population of Metis people today is over 100,000.
  • Cree may be referred to as Woodland Cree or Plains Cree, but this does not designate two different tribes. These names were started by English explorers and refers to how the native population lived. Plains Cree are simply Cree that live in the prairie regions, especially those in the Alberta and Manitoba regions. The Woodland Cree were named because they prefer the woodland areas further north. Both types of Cree follow the same customs and speak the same language, they just live in different environments.
  • Woodland Cree utilized birch bark to build homes while Plains Cree used the hide of buffalo in order to create teepees used for living.
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Ft Mac

Who Was Peter Pond?

Peter Pond was an important individual for Fort MacMurray in the past, but who was he? Peter Pond was born on January 18, 1739 in Milford, Connecticut. During his life Pond was a regiment soldier for Connecticut, an explorer, a fur trader and trapper, and one of the founders of the Beaver Club and the North West Company. Peter Pond also gained recognition as a cartographer as well. One of the maps created by Peter was submitted to the Congress of the USA in 1785, after he had spent many years exploring and searching for furs to trade. Starting in Detroit, Michigan Peter Pond worked with his father to gather pelts and then trade them. Eventually Pond partnered with Alexander Henry ,Simon McTavish and the Frobisher brothers Thomas, Benjamin, and Joseph. The result was the North West Company.

From 1776 to 1778 Peter Pond explored the Great Lakes and Alberta areas, and in 1783 he discovered the Athabasca which stretched from the Peace River to Lac Île-à-la-Crosse. The adventurer spent several years exploring the Lake Athabasca waterways. Pond charted the Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake, both of which were very important to the native Cree people in the Fort MacMurray area. In the notes made by Peter Pond and teh diaries that he kept it is possible to trace his explorations. Fort Chipewyan, Alberta was founded by Peter Pond, and he was the explorer who led the very first people of European descent to see the Athabasca oil sands.

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Ft Mac

Higher Education At Keyano College

Keyano College is the only college in the Fort MacMurray area, but this institution of higher learning offers everything that students in the region want and need. Close to 3,000 students attend Keyano College on a full time basis, and more than 13,000 attend on a part time basis. The main campus for the school is called the Clearwater Campus and it is situated in the Fort MacMurray downtown area. There is another campus that can be found in Gregoire Industrial Park and this campus is called the Suncor Energy Industrial Campus. A third local campus is situated in Fort Chipewyan and this is the newest campus. Keyano College belongs to the Alberta Rural Development Network.

In 1965 Keyano College in Fort MacMurray opened up, but the initial name was the Alberta Vocational Center or AVC. Opening ceremonies for the school occurred on January 26, 1966. The name was changed to Keyano College in 1975, and this word is Cree for sharing. The slogan chosen for this college was Your, Mines, and Ours. In 1978 Keyano College was designated as a community college and became a public institution. Today Keyano College has a number of satellite and outreach campuses as well as those that are centrally located. These campuses are situated in Conklin, Anzac, and Janvier. The school offers a number of programs to help students grow and learn. These programs include:

  • Aboriginal Entrepreneurship
  • Business Administration
  • College & Career Preparation
  • Childhood Studies
  • Bachelor of Education
  • EMT
  • Environmental Technology
  • Fitness Leadership & Movement
  • Bachelor of Physical Education
  • Office Administration
  • Practical Nurse
  • Human Resources Management
  • Social Work
  • University Studies
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Ft Mac

The Fort MacMurray School System

The school system in Fort MacMurray has two components, the public school district and the Catholic school district. Each is made up of several schools that cover from pre kindergarten up through the 12th grade. The Fort MacMurray Public School District is composed of 7 elementary schools, 1 junior high school, 2 senior high schools, and 3 alternative and special education programs. The elementary schools are Beacon Hill School, Doctor K. A. Clark, Ecolé Dickinsfield, Greely Road, Thickwood Heights, Timberlea, and Westview. The junior and senior high schools are Ecole McTavish Community High, Composite High, and Westwood Community High. Fort McMurray Islamic, Fort McMurray Christian, and Frank Spragins High are the alternative and special programs in the local public school district. These schools do not require any tuition, and some offer classes in English as well as French.

The Fort MacMurray Catholic School District is the other component in the local school system. This system includes 10 schools and there is an additional school that will be added by the end of 2015. In addition to the schools there is also a Science and Technology Center and a Performing Arts Theater. The schools included in this district are St. Martha’s, Father J.A. Turcotte, Good Shepherd, Father Beauregard, Ecole St. Paul, St. Gabriel, Sister Mary Phillips, St. Anne, Father Patrick Mercredi Community High School, and Holy Trinity Catholic High School. The additional school opening soon will be St. Kateri. The Fort MacMurray Catholic schools usually involve a tuition payment and the amount will depend on several factors.

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Ft Mac

What Well Known People Have Resided in Fort MacMurray?

Fort MacMurray has been called home by a notable cast of residents, and a number of famous people have been born here or lived some part of their lives in the area. Actress Tantoo Cardinal is one notable resident, and another is actress Natasha Henstridge. Film stars are not the only individuals who find the remote beauty of Fort MacMurray appealing though, hockey players, singers, and musicians have also resided in the region. The front man Nils Edenloff, who is active with the group The Rural Alberta Advantage, has been a resident of Fort MacMurray. Singer Aaron Lines is also a notable individual who has lived here. The scenic beauty of the area draws in many types of people, and individuals from many different income levels and industries.

Some of the notable residents of Fort MacMurray are well known ice hockey players, and the region tends to draw these athletes. Colin Murphy, Chris Phillips, and Justin Pogge are just a few of the ice hockey players who have come to the Fort MacMurray area. Nolan Pratt and Scotty Upshall are other famous celebrity athletes who have enjoyed time in the region. Singer Aaron Lines and voice and television actor Tony Sampson have also called Fort MacMurray home. The population of the city is very diverse, and many people from various sectors who are not as well known have also resided here. A significant part of the population involves those in the petroleum and oil industry because of the Athabasca Oil Sands close by.