Wabamun

Wabamun is a village in the Edmonton Capital Region, Alberta, 67 km (42 mi) west of Edmonton. It is on the northern shores of Lake Wabamun, the largest recreational lake in the Edmonton region.

Understand

Wabamun had a population of approximately 650 to 700 people in 2016.

Wabamun gets its name from the nearby Wabamun Lake, whose name is derived from the Cree word for "mirror", in reference to its water. The ancient name for the lake, from the Nakota Sioux language, is Wihnemne.

The main source of income within Wabamun are power plants in the area operated by TransAlta Utilities. The power plant in the village was closed down because of increased pressure from environmental agencies and aging. The Wabamun power plant was the subject of heated debate among the residents and cottagers of Wabamun Lake.

There is a large cabin-going community in Wabamun during the summer, while the village is populated year round.

The lake has a large population of walleye as of 2023. It was known as a near-trophy status lake for Northern Pike in the 1980s. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the lake was sometimes called "White Whale" due to the large size of whitefish that were hauled out of the lake and shipped to support the fur trade. The lake also contains ling-cod (burbot), white prairie sucker, and perch.

Lake Wabamun is approximately 82 km² in area, is 19.2 km (11.9 mi) long by 6.6 km (4.1 mi) wide, and it has an average depth of 20 ft (6.1 m), and a maximum charted depth of 37 ft (11 m) - although the lake was only surveyed at 500 m intervals and the depth off of the end of Coal Point is reputed to be over 40 ft (12 m) in some spots.

History

Wabamun was named for its location on the north shore of Lake Wabamun. The first post office opened in Wabamun in 1903. In the early 1900s, Wabamun was an important railway stop for homesteaders. Before the railway was extended further West, many settlers brought good and animals on train cars as far as Wabamun and then transferred to wagons drawn by oxen or horses for the remainder of trips to homesteads in the Lac Ste.-Anne area.

Get in

Wabamun is 20 minutes west of the town of Stony Plain and 40 minutes west of Edmonton on Highway 16; take exit 324 to access the village and exit 327 to access Kapasiwin and Wabamun Lake Provincial Park.

See
  • Wabamun Lake
  • 🌍 Waterfront Park. Lakeshore access, parking and full-sized boat launch, picnic area with shelter, washrooms and change rooms, playground and water spray park, and 380 ft (120 m) pier. (updated May 2020)
  • 🌍 World's largest dragonfly, 50 St & 56 Ave, Wabamun. (updated May 2020)
  • 🌍 Wabamun & District Museum, 5140- 52 Avenue (in the United Church building). Jun-Sep: W-Sa 1-4PM. The natural, historical, industrial and cultural heritage of the Village of Wabamun and communities surrounding Wabamun Lake, from the early 1800s to the present. (updated Apr 2018)

Do
  • 🌍 Wabamun Lake Provincial Park (3 km NE of Wabamun), ☏ +1 780-892-2702. Geocaching, baseball, beach, birding, camping (May 1-Oct 31), canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, power boating, sailing, swimming, water skiing, wind surfing. Power plants in the area provide year-round open water for hooded mergansers, bald eagles and mallards, as well as various migrating, breeding and moulting water birds including gulls, terns, rails, herons, loons, kingfishers and sandpipers. Ospreys nest at Wabamun and nearby Lake Isle. There are nesting colonies of red-necked and western grebes. The area also supports species such as common ravens, gray jays and great gray owls, which are normally found further north and west. For hikers, the day-use area has boardwalks. Camping: unserviced $29/night, power (15/30 amp) $36/night. (updated Apr 2018)
  • Dragonfly Festival. Last weekend in June. Fireworks, waterfront beer gardens & entertainment, lighted boat parade, pancake breakfast at Jubilee Hall, parade, car show, art walk, vendors market, kids activities, barbecue. (updated May 2020)

Sailing
  • 🌍 Wabamun Sailing Club, #3 53025 Range Road 43, Parkland County. The main sailing club of the lake is Wabamun Sailing Club, approximately 8 km (5 mi) west of the village at the end of Range Road 43. (updated May 2020)
  • 🌍 Edmonton Yacht Club, 185 1st Avenue, Seba Beach, . Not-for-profit, volunteer community, committed to the sport of sailing by operating facilities at Seba Beach, on Wabamun Lake. (updated May 2020)

Golf

Buy
  • 52nd St. Marketplace, 5123 52 St., ☏ +1 780-892-4440. W-Sa 10AM-5PM. Collections from local vendors. (updated Apr 2018)

Businesses include 4 restaurants, hardware store, bowling lanes, post office, pharmacy, liquor store, market, car wash, laundromat, motel, hotel, inn, tavern, convenience store, 2 banks, mechanic and a grocery store.

Eat
  • 🌍 The Yellow Submarine, 5126 51 Ave, ☏ +1 780-892-2227. Su noon-8PM, M-Th 11AM-8PM, F Sa 11AM-9PM. Pizza, subs, fast food. (updated Apr 2018)
  • 🌍 Jingles on 52, 5123 52 St (in the 52nd St. Marketplace), ☏ +1 780-892-4440. W-Sa 10AM-5PM. Local spot for a coffee and bakery. (updated Apr 2018)

Sleep

Nearby
  • Kapasiwin − small summer village just east of Wabamun and near Wabamun Provincial Park
  • Seba Beach − small summer village on the west shore of Wabamun Lake; marina, pier, restaurant, and campground available; home of the Edmonton Yacht Club.
  • Lake Isle − small lake northwest Wabumun
  • Lac Ste. Anne − northeast of Wabumun, the site of an annual religious pilgrimage.

Go next
Routes through Wabamun
Jasper ← Entwistle-Evansburg ←  W  E  → Jct N → Stony Plain → Edmonton


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