Editing Vulcan, Alberta

{{Use Canadian English|date=April 2013}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Vulcan
| official_name                   = Town of Vulcan
| other_name                      = 
| native_name                     = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname                        = 
| settlement_type                 = Town
| motto                           = 
| image_skyline                   = Vulcan visitor centre 2013.JPG
| image_caption                   =

| image_flag                      = 
| image_seal                      = 
| image_shield                    = 
| image_map                       = 
| map_caption                     = 
| pushpin_map                     = Canada Alberta#Canada
| pushpin_label_position          = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location of Vulcan
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = Canada
| subdivision_type1               = [[Provinces and territories of Canada|Province]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Alberta]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of regions of Canada#Alberta|Region]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Southern Alberta]]
| subdivision_type3               = [[List of census divisions of Alberta|Census division]]
| subdivision_name3               = [[Division No. 5, Alberta|5]]
| subdivision_type4               = [[List of municipal districts in Alberta|Municipal district]]
| subdivision_name4               = [[Vulcan County]]
| government_footnotes            = <ref>{{AMOS|mdy}}</ref>
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = Mayor
| leader_name                     = Tom Grant
| leader_title1                   = Governing body
| leader_name1                    = Vulcan Town Council
| leader_title2                   = [[Current members of the Canadian House of Commons|MP]]
| leader_name2                    = [[John Barlow (Canadian politician)|John Barlow]] ([[Foothills (electoral district)|Foothills]]-[[Conservative Party of Canada|Cons]])
| leader_title3                   = [[Legislative Assembly of Alberta|MLA]]
| leader_name3                    = [[Dave Schneider (politician)|Dave Schneider]] ([[Little Bow]]-[[United Conservative Party|UCP]])
| established_title               = Founded
| established_date                = 
| established_title1 = Incorporated<ref name=AMATownProfiles>{{cite web|url=http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/cfml/MunicipalProfiles/basicReport/TOWN.PDF|publisher=[[Alberta Municipal Affairs]]|title=Location and History Profile: Town of Vulcan|page=716|date=October 7, 2016|access-date=October 13, 2016}}</ref>
| established_date1               = &nbsp;
| established_title2              = &nbsp;•&nbsp;[[List of villages in Alberta|Village]]
| established_date2               = December 23, 1912
| established_title3              = &nbsp;•&nbsp;[[List of towns in Alberta|Town]]
| established_date3               = June 15, 1921
| area_footnotes                  = &nbsp;(2021)<ref name=2021census/>
| area_land_km2                   = 6.28
| area_urban_km2                  = 
| population_as_of                = 2021
| population_footnotes            = <ref name=2021census/><ref name=2021censusPC>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810001101 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada and population centres | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 13, 2022}}</ref>
| population_note                 = 
| population_total                = 1769 <!-- 2021 StatCan census population only per [[WP:CANPOP]];  do not replace with latest municipal census population count; this municipal census population count can go in the population_blank1_title and population_blank1 parameters further below and can be noted in the article body (so long as it doesn't replace the 2021 StatCan census population in the body). -->
| population_density_km2          = 281.8
| population_urban                = 
| population_density_urban_km2    = 
| population_blank1_title         = 
| population_blank1               = 
| population_density_blank1_km2   = 
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = 
| timezone                        = [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]]
| utc_offset                      = −07:00
| timezone_DST                    = MDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = −06:00
| coordinates                     = {{coord|50|24|24|N|113|15|18|W|region:CA-AB|display=inline}}
| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.safetycodes.ab.ca/Public/Documents/PSSSOP_Handbook_Version_12_Online_Feb_21_2012b.pdf|title=Alberta Private Sewage Systems 2009 Standard of Practice Handbook: Appendix A.3 Alberta Design Data (A.3.A. Alberta Climate Design Data by Town)|publisher=Safety Codes Council|type=PDF|pages=212–215 (PDF pages 226–229)|date=January 2012|access-date=October 9, 2013|archive-date=October 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016085027/http://www.safetycodes.ab.ca/Public/Documents/PSSSOP_Handbook_Version_12_Online_Feb_21_2012b.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| elevation_m                     = 1049
| postal_code_type                = Postal code span
| postal_code                     = T0L 2B0
| area_codes                      = [[Area code 403|+1-403]], [[Area code 587|+1-587]]
| blank_name                      = Highways
| blank_info                      = [[Alberta Highway 23|Highway 23]]<br />[[Alberta Highway 534|Highway 534]]
| blank1_name                     = Railways
| blank1_info                     = [[Canadian Pacific Kansas City]]
| website                         = {{official website|www.townofvulcan.ca}}
| footnotes                       = 
}}

'''Vulcan''' is a town in [[southern Alberta]], Canada that is surrounded by [[Vulcan County]]. It is on [[Alberta Highway 23|Highway 23]], midway between the cities of [[Calgary]] and [[Lethbridge]]. The population of the town was 1,769 in 2021.<ref name=2016censusABmunis/> Now known as the "Official Star Trek Capital of Canada", Vulcan has a tourism building made to look like a landed space station, a statue of the original series ''Enterprise'', and other ''[[Star Trek]]'' themed attractions.

== History ==
{{stack|[[File:Elevators of Vulcan, Alberta. after 1920.jpg|thumb|View of the row of grain elevators in Vulcan, Alberta. After 1920.|alt=View of the row of grain elevators in Vulcan after 1920]]}}
Vulcan was named by a surveyor for the [[Canadian Pacific Railway]] after the Roman God of Fire – [[Vulcan (mythology)|Vulcan]]. Originally, all the streets of Vulcan were named after gods and goddesses of the classical world such as [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]], [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]], and [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]].{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

The community was incorporated as a village on December 23, 1912, and then as a town on June 15, 1921.<ref name="incorporation">{{cite web | url=http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/cfml/MunicipalProfiles/index | title=Location and History Profile: Town of Vulcan | publisher=[[Alberta Municipal Affairs]] | date=May 5, 2015 | access-date=May 7, 2015}}</ref> In July 1927, a major [[tornado]] destroyed many homes and the new [[curling]] rink in the town. That tornado was made famous when a photograph of it approaching Vulcan was used for the "tornado" article in ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Encyclopaedia Britannica: A New Survey of Universal Knowledge |date=1962 |publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zNnfqsk7uR4C&q=%22Tornado+approaching+Vulcan%22 |language=en}}</ref>{{rp|302}}

The first newspaper to serve the area was ''The Vulcan Review'', which began in 1912<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/VR_19120319/mode/2up|title=Vulcan Review|date=March 19, 1912|website=Internet Archive|access-date=2020-01-25}}</ref> and was published for one year. ''The Vulcan Review'' was followed by the ''Vulcan Advocate'' in 1913, which is still being published today<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulcanadvocate.com/|title=The Vulcan Advocate|access-date=2020-01-25}}</ref> as member of Sun Media Community Newspapers part of [[Postmedia Network]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vulcan Advocate |url=https://www.vulcanadvocate.com/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=vulcanadvocate |language=en-CA}}</ref>{{stack|[[File:Vulcan elevator row 1960s.jpg|thumb|left|Vulcan elevator row in the 1960s]]}}Vulcan once had nine [[grain elevator]]s, more than any other location west of [[Winnipeg]], making it the largest [[grain trade|grain shipping]] point at that time.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} Due to the changing economics of the agricultural industry, the original elevators were taken down one by one. Today, Vulcan has only one of the "prairie skyscrapers" left that once could be seen miles away. Although not original, this last wooden elevator was built in the 1980s.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

A [[British Commonwealth Air Training Plan]] air force base, [[RCAF Station Vulcan]], was located {{Convert|5.7|NM|lk=in}} southwest<ref>{{CFS}}</ref> of the town during the [[Second World War]]. Many of the old hangars still exist and the runways can still be seen. It is now operated as [[Vulcan/Kirkcaldy Aerodrome]] and some of the old runways are still in use. There is a second airport, [[Vulcan Airport]].{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

In 2015 the town council voted to form Heritage Advisory Board Committee to manage the historical sites in Vulcan County.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vulcanadvocate.com/2015/04/24/preserving-vulcans-heritage/wcm/a0665b41-85df-e747-6acc-50b1ae8e370a|title=Preserving Vulcan's heritage|date=2015-04-24|work=The Vulcan Advocate|access-date=2020-01-25}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{stack|[[File:Mainstreet Vulcan.JPG|thumb|left|Centre Street 2008]]}}
In the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], the Town of Vulcan had a population of 1,769 living in 806 of its 876 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:1769-1917}}|1917|1}} from its 2016 population of 1,917. With a land area of {{cvt|6.28|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|1769|6.28|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021census>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000248 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities) | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 9, 2022}}</ref>

In the [[Canada 2016 Census|2016 Census of Population]] conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Vulcan recorded a population of 1,917 living in 829 of its 879 total private dwellings, a {{percentage|{{#expr:1917-1836}}|1836|1}} change from its 2011 population of 1,836. With a land area of {{convert|6.34|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|1917|6.34|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2016.<ref name=2016censusABmunis>{{cite web | url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=86&O=A&RPP=9999&PR=48 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta) | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 8, 2017 | access-date=February 8, 2017}}</ref>

== Economy ==
The town's economy is mainly tourism and agriculture-based. Wheat, [[canola]] and [[barley]] are the main crops grown in the Vulcan area.

Oil and gas is another industry that employs many residents of Vulcan.

=== Tourism ===
{{stack|[[File:Enterprise monument Vulcan Alberta 2013.JPG|thumb|left|Vulcan's Starship FX6-1995-A, replica of the [[Starship Enterprise|Starship ''Enterprise'']] and named after [[Vulcan Airport]]'s designation CFX6<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vulcantourism.com/about-vulcan-albertas-star-ship-fx6-1995-a.html |title=About Vulcan, Alberta's Star Ship FX6-1995-A - Vulcan Tourism |access-date=July 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702202215/http://www.vulcantourism.com/about-vulcan-albertas-star-ship-fx6-1995-a.html |archive-date=July 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>]]}}
Since 1990, Vulcan has hosted the annual Vulcan Tinman Triathlon, which takes place at the beginning of June. This sprint-distance triathlon attracts nearly 1,000 participants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vulcantinman.ca/history.html|title=The Vulcan Tinman Triathlon: History|last=The Vulcan Tinman Triathlon|website=The Vulcan Tinman Triathlon|access-date=2 February 2018}}</ref> There are classes for adults of all ages and skill levels as well as for teams and children.

The town's name has brought some attention that has helped it become a tourist attraction.<ref name="nbc130822"/><ref name="glo900908"/> In the ''[[Star Trek]]'' television and feature film series it is the name of the homeworld of  [[Spock|Mr. Spock]] and his fellow [[Vulcan (Star Trek)|Vulcans]]. Capitalizing on this coincidence, the town has built a ''Star Trek''–themed tourist station (the Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station), which provides tourist information, displays an extensive donated collection of ''Star Trek'' memorabilia. The Trek Station also offers unique photo opportunities and interactions with iconic Star Trek characters in their ever-evolving Cosplay Costume Collection. Nearby, a replica of the starship ''Enterprise'' from ''[[Star Trek V: The Final Frontier|Star Trek V]]'' has been mounted on a pedestal which includes writing from ''Star Trek'' alien languages such as [[Klingon language|Klingon]]. In 2010 [[Leonard Nimoy]] visited the town and was honoured at the town centre with a bust and handprint. A transporter, Doctors Mural and other Star Trek attractions can be experienced throughout the town. The Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station has hosted an annual Star Trek Convention (held the last weekend in July) "VulCON" since 1993 where celebrity guests are "beamed" in to spend the weekend with attendees. It is a unique convention in that celebrity guests & Trekkies get to know each other during the Meet & Greet, Q&As and a banquet and dance. This convention attracts hundreds of ''Star Trek'' fans from around the world.

The town also hosts another annual event called "Spock Days". This is a family-friendly weekend with a parade, children's spaces, a ball tournament, fireworks and more.<ref name="nbc130822"/>

== Infrastructure ==

=== Healthcare ===
====Vulcan Community Healthcare Centre====
The Vulcan Community Healthcare Centre offers emergency and long-term care medical services. The hospital had 5,125 visits for emergency medical services in the 2013/2014 year.  It has eight medical beds with 15 long-term care beds and hosts a medical clinic.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vulcanbusiness.ca/residents/health/ |title=Health &#124; Vulcan |access-date=August 25, 2015 |archive-date=December 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151214171450/http://www.vulcanbusiness.ca/residents/health/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Geography ==
=== Climate ===
Vulcan experiences a dry [[Humid continental climate|continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Dfb'') with long, cold winters and short, warm summers.
{{Weather box
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Vulcan Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data
| Jan record high C = 15.0
| Feb record high C = 23.0
| Mar record high C = 20.0
| Apr record high C = 29.0
| May record high C = 33.0
| Jun record high C = 33.0
| Jul record high C = 36.1
| Aug record high C = 35.5
| Sep record high C = 35.0
| Oct record high C = 30.5
| Nov record high C = 22.8
| Dec record high C = 19.0
| year record high C = 36.1
| Jan high C = -3.1
| Feb high C = 0.5
| Mar high C = 5.3
| Apr high C = 12.4
| May high C = 17.5
| Jun high C = 21.5
| Jul high C = 24.5
| Aug high C = 25.0
| Sep high C = 19.1
| Oct high C = 12.7
| Nov high C = 2.8
| Dec high C = -2.2
| year high C = 11.3
| Jan mean C = -8.8
| Feb mean C = -5.6
| Mar mean C = -0.7
| Apr mean C = 5.3
| May mean C = 10.5
| Jun mean C = 14.6
| Jul mean C = 17.0
| Aug mean C = 17.1
| Sep mean C = 11.7
| Oct mean C = 5.9
| Nov mean C = -2.7
| Dec mean C = -7.8
| year mean C = 4.7
| Jan low C = -14.4
| Feb low C = -11.6
| Mar low C = -6.7
| Apr low C = -1.8
| May low C = 3.4
| Jun low C = 7.6
| Jul low C = 9.6
| Aug low C = 9.2
| Sep low C = 4.2
| Oct low C = -1.0
| Nov low C = -8.1
| Dec low C = -13.3
| year low C = -1.9
| Jan record low C = -37.5
| Feb record low C = -37.0
| Mar record low C = -31.5
| Apr record low C = -20.6
| May record low C = -6.0
| Jun record low C = -1.5
| Jul record low C = 2.0
| Aug record low C = -2.0
| Sep record low C = -9.0
| Oct record low C = -26.0
| Nov record low C = -35.0
| Dec record low C = -38.3
| year record low C = -38.3
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 13.1
| Feb precipitation mm = 12.4
| Mar precipitation mm = 21.2
| Apr precipitation mm = 22.9
| May precipitation mm = 64.4
| Jun precipitation mm = 74.6
| Jul precipitation mm = 59.7
| Aug precipitation mm = 49.0
| Sep precipitation mm = 44.6
| Oct precipitation mm = 17.1
| Nov precipitation mm = 17.7
| Dec precipitation mm = 18.1
| year precipitation mm = 414.8
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 0.0
| Feb rain mm = 0.1
| Mar rain mm = 0.8
| Apr rain mm = 10.4
| May rain mm = 57.4
| Jun rain mm = 74.6
| Jul rain mm = 59.7
| Aug rain mm = 48.4
| Sep rain mm = 39.9
| Oct rain mm = 6.7
| Nov rain mm = 0.9
| Dec rain mm = 0.3
| year rain mm = 299.1
| snow colour = green
| Jan snow cm = 13.1
| Feb snow cm = 12.3
| Mar snow cm = 20.4
| Apr snow cm = 12.5
| May snow cm = 7.0
| Jun snow cm = 0.0
| Jul snow cm = 0.0
| Aug snow cm = 0.6
| Sep snow cm = 4.7
| Oct snow cm = 10.4
| Nov snow cm = 16.8
| Dec snow cm = 17.9
| year snow cm = 115.6
| unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
| precip days colour = green
| Jan precipitation days = 6.5
| Feb precipitation days = 5.7
| Mar precipitation days = 7.6
| Apr precipitation days = 6.5
| May precipitation days = 9.9
| Jun precipitation days = 11.5
| Jul precipitation days = 9.8
| Aug precipitation days = 8.1
| Sep precipitation days = 7.4
| Oct precipitation days = 5.4
| Nov precipitation days = 6.5
| Dec precipitation days = 6.3
| year precipitation days = 91.1
| unit rain days = 0.2 mm
| Jan rain days = 0.0
| Feb rain days = 0.2
| Mar rain days = 0.7
| Apr rain days = 3.8
| May rain days = 9.3
| Jun rain days = 11.5
| Jul rain days = 9.8
| Aug rain days = 8.0
| Sep rain days = 6.7
| Oct rain days = 2.7
| Nov rain days = 0.4
| Dec rain days = 0.3
| year rain days = 53.4
| unit snow days = 0.2 cm
| Jan snow days = 6.5
| Feb snow days = 5.6
| Mar snow days = 6.9
| Apr snow days = 3.1
| May snow days = 1.1
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.2
| Sep snow days = 0.9
| Oct snow days = 3.0
| Nov snow days = 6.2
| Dec snow days = 6.1
| year snow days = 39.5
| source = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]]<ref name="CCN">{{cite web |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=Vulcan&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=2325&dispBack=1 |title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 Station Data |date=September 25, 2013 |publisher= [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]]|access-date=21 August 2019 }}</ref>
}}

== See also ==
*[[List of communities in Alberta]]
*[[List of towns in Alberta]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="nbc130822">{{cite news |first=A. |last=Pawlowski  |publisher=[[NBC News]] |title=Live long and prosper in Vulcan, the 'Star Trek Capital of Canada' |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/live-long-prosper-vulcan-star-trek-capital-canada-6C10945741 |date=August 22, 2013 |access-date=August 22, 2013}}</ref>
<ref name="glo900908">{{cite news |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |title=Small Town Ties Spacey Idea: Vulcan turns to 'Star Trek' to boost image |date=September 8, 1990 |first=Miro |last=Cernetig }}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Vulcan, Alberta}}
*{{official website}}
*Digitized issues of the [[iarchive:vulcanhistorical|Vulcan Review and Vulcan Advocate newspapers]] from 1912 - 1967 in the Internet Archive.

{{Geographic location
| Centre    = Vulcan
| North     = [[Arrowwood, Alberta|Arrowwood]]
| Northeast = [[Milo, Alberta|Milo]]
| East      = [[Lomond, Alberta|Lomond]]
| Southeast = [[Vauxhall, Alberta|Vauxhall]]
| South     = [[Champion, Alberta|Champion]]<br />[[Carmangay, Alberta|Carmangay]]
| Southwest = [[Stavely, Alberta|Stavely]]<br />[[Claresholm, Alberta|Claresholm]]
| West      = [[Nanton, Alberta|Nanton]]
| Northwest = [[High River]]
}}
{{Subdivisions of Alberta|towns=yes}}
{{Coord|50|24|N|113|15|W|region:CA-AB_type:city_scale:60000|name=Vulcan|display=title}}

[[Category:1912 establishments in Alberta]]
[[Category:Towns in Alberta]]
[[Category:Vulcan County]]