| Olds | |
| Official Name: | Town of Olds |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Coordinates: | 51.7928°N -114.1067°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Alberta#Canada |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Olds |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Alberta |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Central Alberta |
| Subdivision Type3: | Census division |
| Subdivision Name3: | 6 |
| Subdivision Type4: | Municipal district |
| Subdivision Name4: | Mountain View County |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Judy Dahl |
| Leader Title1: | Governing body |
| Leader Name1: | Olds Town Council |
| Leader Title2: | MP |
| Leader Name2: | Earl Dreeshen (Red Deer—Mountain View-Cons) |
| Leader Title3: | MLA |
| Leader Name3: | Nathan Cooper (Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills-UCP) |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated[1] |
| Established Date1: | |
| Established Title2: | • Village |
| Established Date2: | 26 May 1896 |
| Established Title3: | • Town |
| Established Date3: | 1 July 1905 |
| Area Footnotes: | (2021) |
| Area Land Km2: | 14.92 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 9209 |
| Population Density Km2: | 617.3 |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | −07:00 |
| Timezone Dst: | MDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −06:00 |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [3] |
| Elevation M: | 1041 |
| Postal Code Type: | Forward sortation area |
| Postal Code: | T4H |
| Area Code: | -1+403, -1+587 |
| Blank Name: | Highways |
| Blank Info: | Highway 2A Highway 27 |
Olds is a town in central Alberta, Canada within Mountain View County and the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. It is approximately 61km (38miles) south of Red Deer and 90km (60miles) north of Calgary. The nearest towns are Didsbury to the south, Bowden to the north, Sundre to the west and Three Hills to the east. Olds is located at the intersection of Highway 27 and Highway 2A, 5km (03miles) west of the Queen Elizabeth II Highway. The Canadian Pacific Kansas City's main Edmonton-Calgary line runs through the town.
Olds lies within the Grasslands Natural Region of Alberta. Downtown Olds is about 1041m (3,415feet) above sea level. In 2011, the town covered a land area of 14.87km2.
Olds has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) and falls into the Natural Resources Canada (NRC) Plant Hardiness Zone 3b. The average temperature is around in late July to in mid-January.
Winters are cold with temperatures often dropping to or below . These are broken up from the dry Chinook winds from the mountains.
Summers can be hot with temperatures reaching up to .
Olds has various species living in and around it including poplar trees and various wild grasses. Olds is an agriculture based town, so a large portion of the flora grown are crops of canola (Brassica juncea subsp. juncea) and barley (Hordeum vulgare).
The majority of fauna consists of livestock like cattle, and poultry. Many surrounding farms keep horses and/or donkeys.
The town of Olds is surrounded by residential neighbourhoods with various styles of housing. There are several mobile home parks throughout the town.
Olds has its own fibre optic Internet Service Provider called O-Net that provides gigabit speeds to its residents and businesses. The service cost the town about $21,000,000 to install.[4] Olds has a big-box retail centre which opened in 2008. It features a Walmart, Canadian Tire, Home Hardware and other major retailers.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Olds had a population of 9,209 living in 3,810 of its 4,096 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 9,184. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[5]
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Olds recorded a population of 9,184 living in 3,698 of its 3,942 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 8,235. With a land area of 14.93km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[6]
The population of the Town of Olds according to its 2014 municipal census is 8,617, a change of from its 2013 municipal census population of 8,511.[7]
Olds has four schools: École Olds Elementary School, École Deer Meadow School, Olds High School, and Holy Trinity Catholic School. Three schools in the area are part of the Chinook's Edge School Division No. 73
École Olds Elementary Schoolis an elementary school containing kindergarten to grade 4. The school contains a small gymnasium with a rock climbing wall. The gym previously doubled as the gymnastics centre for the gymnastics club, which is now located along 25th Ave.
École Deer Meadow School is a junior high school containing grades 5–8. There is a slightly larger gym as well as a music room for the students beginning in the band programs.
Olds High School is a junior/senior high school containing grades 9–12. The school has a gymnasium and fitness centre and a fine arts theatre and is part of the Olds College Campus. The school has a variety of educational programs such as sports, band, shop, drama and stained glass program.
Olds is also home to Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, noted for its agriculture technology programs.[8]
Olds is home to many sports teams such as the Olds Grizzlys Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), located at the Olds Sports Complex. Olds College Broncos part of the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference, Olds Rapids Swim Club Located at the Olds Aquatic Centre. And many sporting events such as the Hay City Slam Skate Comp held every summer at the Olds Skate Park.
Home to two golf courses: Olds Central Highlands 23 hole course, 3miles east of Olds, off Highway 27 as well as the brand new 9 Hole Trail Creek Golf course located 7km (04miles) west of Olds, off Highway 27 that opened in July 2015
The Olds Gymnastics Club has recently migrated from their previous home in the Elementary School to a new building located along 25th Avenue. The building was formerly a Sears Canada building.
Olds houses the 185 Olds Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron. The building was formerly the Olds recreation centre and is now rendered to the squadron. The building is also rented out by many local dance and church programs.