Cereal
Welcome
Welcome to the Village of Cereal.
The Village of Cereal is located along Highway 9 in southeastern Alberta in the Alberta’s Special Areas. Named for the abundance of cereal crops that were grown in the area at the birth of the community, today, Cereal is a Canadian Badlands community. Over the last few years, a resurgence of development has added new employment and interest to this quiet community. With a historic downtown and a Prairie Pioneer Museum that tells the story of the depression days in the region and chronicles the life and times of early settlers in Canada’s West, this Village is a history buff’s dream.
Area Overview
The Village is located in east central Alberta along Highway 9 and within the SAMDA region. The SAMDA region is largely an agricultural area and boasts a strong and vibrant petroleum industry and service sector. The retail and administration sectors anchors our communities and presents opportunities for growth. Market trends and opportunities in technology are allowing services and commerce to take place via the SuperNet. Rural lifestyle combined with the job of choice is hart to resist.
As a community within the Canadian Badlands, Cereal boasts prospects for tourism entrepreneurs. The Canadian Badlands is a destination choice of hundreds of thousands of tourists each year and is growing.
Key advantages of living and doing business in our community include:
- a great rural lifestyle
- opportunities for e-commerce
- great highway access and convenient location
- supportive municipal government
Location
The Village of Cereal is strategically located along Highway 9 in east central Alberta within the Canadian Badlands and Alberta's Special Areas. Access to the town limits is also available from Alberta Secondary Highway 886. Special Areas No. 3 surrounds Cereal.
Economic Base
The main economic base for the Village of Cereal includes farming, ranching and oil and gas exploration, production and services. New opportunities are tourism, e-commerce and remote work.
Agriculture
Farms in the region are generally mixed, ranching and grain production. A large percentage of these farms have one operator and are considered a family farm. The average farm has approximately 1,500 acres and 75 head of cows. Grain production accounts for a large percentage of acreage usage. This production is generally done using a summer fallow/crop rotation due to the arid climate.
Energy Sector
The region is blessed with an abundance of land and resources. The energy sector is strong and provides employment and much economic spin off to our communities. There are a number of energy related businesses, services and contractors operating in the region.
Economic Facts
Major businesses that operate within the Village of Cereal include:
- Brian Rude Trucking
- Cando Oilfield Construction
- Cereal Hotel Café
- Cereal Hotel Motel
- Dry Plains Earthmoving Ltd
- Halpenny Agencies
- Canada Post
- Glory Cafe
- K 2 Oil & Gas Contracting
- Midfield Supply Ltd
- United Farmers of Alberta
- UFA Fuels Cereal
- Cereal Pioneer Museum
Utilities
Water, sewer and garbage disposal is provided by the Village of Cereal.
Electrical Power
Direct Energy
Tel: 1-866-374-6299
Natural Gas
Dry Country Gas Co-op
205 2 St W
Oyen, Alberta T0J 2J0
Tel: 1-888-664-6001
Communications
Telus
Tel: 403-310-2255
Internet Services
Telus
Tel: 403-310-2255
Netago
105 2nd Avenue West
Hanna, Alberta
Tel: 1-866-346-7822
Water Supply
The source of water is Henry Kroeger Regional Water Commission. The water originates from the Red Deer River.
Taxation
The municipal tax rate is as follows:
Residential/Farmland: 33.16
Non-Residential: 34.96
Transportation
Highway 9 runs through the area, west to east, with the Village of Cereal located strategically along this thoroughfare. Secondary highways are 886 and 41.
Trucking:
The main company serving the area is Hi-Way 9 Express Ltd.
Air Service:
The closest airport to the Village of Cereal is Oyen Municipal Airport.
Bus Services:
Regularly scheduled intercommunity services are available through Greyhound Canada, with a depot located in Cereal:
Cereal Hotel Motel
(North Entrance)
210 Main Street
Cereal, Alberta T0J 0N0
Main Phone Number: 403-326-2421
Couriers:
Overnight express service is available through:
Community Lifestyle
The lifestyle in the Village of Cereal is vibrant, with a diversity of recreation facilities and community organizations. The residents work together to organize special annual events and attractions that show the spirit and enthusiasm of the community.
Residents can participate in a variety of community organizations:
- Cereal Athletic Association
- Cereal Pro Rodeo Association
- UCW
- Cereal Golden Centre Group
- Cereal Library Board
- Cereal Board of Trade
A variety of recreation facilities in the Village promote an active lifestyle:
- Cereal Arena and Curling Rink
- Cereal Sports Grounds - 3 Ball Diamonds
- Rodeo Arena
Special events organized by Village residents attract people from throughout the region:
- Mixed Curling Bonspiel – February
- Oilman's Curling Bonspiel - February
- ladies Curling Bonspiel - Second Weekend in March
- Cereal Bull-A-Rama - August
- Annual Sports Day - August
- Square Draw (Curling) - Weekly during Winter Months
- Christmas Late Night Shiopping - November
Places of worship in the Village are:
- Cereal United Church
- Cereal Lutheran Church
- Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Education
Prairie Rose School Division #8 encompasses a large geographical area (about 29,117 square kilometers) in southeastern Alberta. It borders Saskatchewan to the east and the United States to the south. The Division serves a predominantly rural population of approximately 3,380 students in grades Junior Kindergarten through 12. A Board of seven trustees oversee the Division, which includes 18 public schools, 1 outreach school, and 15 Hutterite Colony Schools.
The Town of Oyen is a centre for education for the residents of the Village of Cereal. Schools include Oyen Public School (Preschool to Grade 9) and Oyen South Central High School (Grades 10 to 12).
Oyen Public School
107 - 4th Ave E
Box 479
Oyen, Alberta T0J 2J0
Tel: 403-664-3733 .
South Central High School
105-3rd Ave W
Box 299
Oyen, Alberta T0J 2J0
Tel: 403-664-3644
Catholic education is available through Christ Redeemer Catholic Separate Regional School Division #3. Assumption Roman Catholic School is part of the separate school division and provides education for students from Preschool to Grade 6.
Assumption Roman Catholic School
415 – 5th Ave
Oyen, Alberta T0J 2J0
Tel: 403-664-3643
Post Secondary
Big Country Community Adult Learning Council (BCALC) provides community based adult learning. Located in Oyen, the BCALC provides learning opportunities for the entire region. Learning opportunities include horticulture, arts and crafts, fitness, computers, personal development, health and literacy.
Big Country Community Adult Learning Council
Box 667
113 - 2 Avenue W
Oyen, Alberta T0J 2J0
Tel: 403- 664-2060
Fax: 403- 664-2905
Email: bccalc@telusplanet.net
Health Care
Alberta Health Services provides a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
Doctors visit the Cereal Health Centre two mornings a week to take care of residents' health care needs. More comprehensive health care services are provided in the Town of Oyen, located 30 km from the Village of Cereal.
The Oyen Big Country Hospital is an acute and continuing care facility. Core programs at Big Country Hospital include acute/sub-acute medicine, emergency stabilization, ambulatory care services, and continuing care.
Oyen Big Country Hospital
312-3rd Street East
Oyen, Alberta T0L 2J0
Tel: 403-664-4300
Oyen Community Health Services also provides health care for the Town’s residents.
Oyen Community Health Services
315 3rd Avenue E
Oyen, Alberta T0J 2J0
Tel: 403-664-3651
The Town of Oyen also has a variety of health professionals to take care of residents' needs, including physicians, dentist, optometrist, chirpractor, physiotherapist, speech therapist, audiologist, recreation therapist, message therapist, and others.
For seniors, the Cereal Golden Centre is a meeting place where games such as shuffleboard can be found. Seniors can participate in Bingo at the Community Hall on Monday nights. Seniors independent living apartments are also available in Cereal.
Cereal Country Cottages
Cereal, Alberta T0J 2J0
Tel: 403- 326-2474
Emergency Services
All emergency services are accessed by calling 911. Ambulance services are out of the Town of Oyen. The Cereal Volunteer Fire Department provides fire protection for the Village.
A three-member R.C.M.P. detachment is located in the Town of Oyen.
Community Services
A variety of community services are offered by the Village of Cereal:
- Emergency Services and Fire
- Cemetery
- Parks and Recreation
- Water and Sewer
- Agricultural Services
- Roads
- Community Clubs
- Community Halls
Climate
Sunshine coupled with warm dry summers means more time to spend outdoors exploring our region. The low altitude of the region produces a very warm climate, with particular areas of the region often matching or surpassing the "hot spot" of Canada. The semi-arid countryside lends itself to ranching and wheat farming and is home to deer, antelope, Canada goose, the pear cactus, ball cactus, and its delicious cactus berries. Winters have become very mild over the last few years, with average temperatures on the rise.
Cereal's climate is considered semi-arid, which means lots of sunshine. The average rainfall for the year is 50.4 mm while the average snowfall for the winter is 69.6 cm. The average temperature in July is 18.4 degrees Celsius while the average temperature in January is -12.8 degrees Celsius.
Google Map
Cereal, Alberta, Canada