Taber, Alberta

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Town of Taber
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settlement_type = Town
motto = Land of the Long Sun


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dot_mapsize = 200px
dot_map_caption = Location of Taber in Alberta
dot_x = 117 |dot_y = 240
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = CAN
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = AB
subdivision_type2 = Region
subdivision_name2 = Southern Alberta
subdivision_type3 = Census division
subdivision_name3 = 2
subdivision_type4 = Municipal District
subdivision_name4 = Taber
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Ray Bryant
leader_title1 = Governing body
leader_name1 = Taber Town Council
leader_title2 = MLA
leader_name2 = Paul Hinman (AA)
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area_total_km2 = 15.09
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population_as_of = 2006
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population_total = 7,591
population_density_km2 = 503.2
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timezone = MST
utc_offset = -7
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latd=49 |latm=47 |lats=05 |latNS=N
longd=112|longm=09 |longs=03 |longEW=W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 815
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type = Postal code span
postal_code = T1G
area_code =
blank_name = Highways
blank_info = Highway 3
Highway 36
blank1_name = Waterway
blank1_info = Oldman River
website = [http://www.taber.ca Town of Taber]
footnotes =

Taber is a town in southern Alberta, Canada in Municipal District of Taber. Taber was established in the late 1890s by European settlers on the banks of the lower Oldman River. It is an agricultural town of 7,591 (2006) famous for its corn due to the large amounts of sunshine the town and area receive. It has thus taken on the title "Corn Capital of Canada", and has an annual "Cornfest" held in the last week of August.

Taber and Notogawa, Japan are sister towns.

History

Originally, Taber was known as "Tank No. 77," and was used by the railway to fill up on water. In 1903, it is said that the first Mormon settlers from the U.S.A. were the ones to establish a hamlet at the Tank. After the town's post office was built in 1907, the CPR decided to call the town "Tabor," probably after Mount Tabor in Palestine. However, various letters and station heads came out printed "Taber," so the CPR changed the name to make it match the records.

An alternate version of the towns name origin is that the first part of the word tabernacle was used by Mormon settlers in the vicinity, and the next Canadian Pacific Railway station was named Elcan (nacle spelled backwards).

After time, Taber became a successful coal mining town. Coal mining declined in the late 1920s, but picked up in the 1930s after extensive irrigation in the area.

Irrigation helped not only the coal-miners, it also brought with it the production of sugar beets. In 1950, a sugar beet processing plant (Roger's Sugar) was built, which has become a vital part of the town's economy.

On April 28, 1999, Taber gained notoriety due to the W. R. Myers High School shooting [CBC News. [http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/1999/05/03/taber_new990503.html Taber school shooting information] ] in which a 14-year-old entered W.R. Myers High School and shot two students with a .22 calibre rifle, killing Jason Lang and wounding another.
San Jose Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi is from Taber, Alberta.

Demographics

In 2006, Taber had a population of 7,591 living in 3,034 dwellings, a -1.0% increase from 2001. The town has a land area of km2 to mi2|15.09|abbr=yes|wiki=yes and a population density of Pop density km2 to mi2|503.2| spell=UK | abbr=yes.Cite web| url= http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4802022&Geo2=PR&Code2=48&Data=Count&SearchText=Taber&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=&GeoCode=4802022 | title= Taber - Community Profile | author= Statistics Canada| authorlink= Statistics Canada| year= Census 2006 | accessdate= 2007-06-13]

Economy

Taber's economy is largely based on agriculture. Local produce includes hogs, beef, sheep, poultry, sugar beets, potatoes, peas, carrots, wheat, sand/gravel, flax, barley, corn, beans, oats, onions, canola and mustard. Taber's sugar beet processing plant (Roger's Sugar) plays a vital role in the economy. There are also several food processing companies based in the town, including a Frito-Lay factory, which produces various snack products for much of Western Canada. To a smaller extent, there is also a significant oil and gas component to the economy.

Education

Grades Kindergarten through 12 are administered in Taber by the Horizon School Division and Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Division. Taber has a Christian School for grades 1 through 9. Other education systems include Community Adult Learning Council, ACE Place Learning Center and a Career Resource Center. There is a Taber campus for the Lethbridge College. [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Taber School List | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.taber.ca/life_TABER/schools.asp | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2007-05-25 | language = ]

Cornfest

Cornfest is an annual summer festival held in late August, and it includes a midway (rides, booths, and tests of skill) and a stage with performers. [Taber Chamber of Commerce. [http://www.taberchamber.com/Cornfest/home.htm Cornfest 2004 website] ] There are also corn-based activities, such as corn tasting and stuffing. Large-scale, local corn producers enter their best varieties in the 'Best Corn of the Year' award.

Corn stuffing involves two people, one wearing an over-sized coverall. One of the contestants attempts to stuff as much corn as possible into the other's coverall. Whichever team can put the most corn in the coveralls in the allotted time wins.

References

External links

* [http://www.taber.ca/ Town of Taber]

Geographic Location (8-way)
Centre = Taber
North =

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