| Evansburg | |
| Settlement Type: | Hamlet |
| Motto: | Home of the Grouch |
| Pushpin Map: | Alberta |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Evansburg in Alberta |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Alberta |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Central Alberta |
| Subdivision Type4: | Municipal district |
| Subdivision Name4: | Yellowhead County |
| Government Type: | Unincorporated |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Title1: | Governing body |
| Established Title3: | Dissolved |
| Established Date3: | June 30, 1998 |
| Area Footnotes: | (2021) |
| Area Land Km2: | 2.84 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Total: | 717 |
| Population Density Km2: | 252.8 |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | −7 |
| Timezone Dst: | MDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −6 |
| Coordinates: | 53.6022°N -115.0194°W |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code span |
| Postal Code: | T0E 0T0 |
| Blank Name: | Highways |
| Blank Info: | Highway 16A |
| Blank1 Name: | Waterways |
| Blank1 Info: | Pembina River |
| Website: | Yellowhead County |
Evansburg is a hamlet in west-central Alberta, Canada, within Yellowhead County. It is located on Highway 16A, approximately 88km (55miles) west of Edmonton and 96km (60miles) east of Edson. The hamlet is adjacent to the Pembina River and the Pembina River Provincial Park.
Evansburg was previously incorporated as a village until June 30, 1998, when it dissolved to become a hamlet within Yellowhead County.[1] Statistics Canada recognizes Evansburg as a designated place.
Evansburg is named after Harry Marshall Erskine Evans, former Edmonton mayor and advisor to the Government of Alberta.[2] The post office dates back to 1914.[3]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Evansburg had a population of 717 living in 334 of its 371 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 795. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[4]
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Evansburg had a population of 795 living in 370 of its 419 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 880. With a land area of 2.75km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[5]
The Tipple Park Museum preserves and showcases Evansburg's railway, agricultural and coal mining history.[6] The museum's symbol is a tipple, or a structure at a mine used to load ore or coal.
Evansburg has gained a degree of fame across Canada for being the "Home of the Grouch." Every August, as part of the community's Pembina Valley Daze festival, the community chooses the "Town Grouch".
The tradition began in 1961, when local artist John Lauer was commissioned to create a new welcome sign for the community. To add some humour to the sign, he listed Evansburg's population as "603 people, 29 dogs, 41 cats, and one grouch." Speculation began as to who the grouch was. In 1979, the Evansburg Chamber of Commerce decided to settle the question by holding an election, in which the community's grouch was elected by the people. The election has been held annually ever since. Lauer himself was elected the grouch in 1995.[7]
In the 1990s, Evansburg decided to capitalize on this tradition by adopting the slogan "Home of the Grouch" and using a scowling coal miner (to also honour its coal mining heritage) as its logo.
Far from being an honorary title, the Town Grouch has become a real position with real responsibilities. The chosen citizen becomes Evansburg's ambassador, and represents the community at trade shows and conferences across Canada. Town Grouch is given a uniform consisting of overalls, a pick-axe, and a miner's helmet, all designed to mimic the community's logo. The Town Grouch's home also gets the honorary address of "10 Frowning Street."[7]
In recent years, the election has been replaced with a competition to see who can raise the most money for Pembina Valley Daze.[7]