Deer Lake
Town
Deer Lake seen from above.
Deer Lake seen from above.
Official seal of Deer Lake
Seal
Deer Lake is located in Newfoundland
Deer Lake
Deer Lake
Location of Deer Lake in Newfoundland
Deer Lake is located in Canada
Deer Lake
Deer Lake
Deer Lake (Canada)
Coordinates: 49°11′42″N 57°23′23″W / 49.19500°N 57.38972°W / 49.19500; -57.38972[1]
CountryCanada
ProvinceNewfoundland and Labrador
Census division5
Settled1864
Incorporated1950
Government
 • MayorMichael Goosney
 • MHAAndrew Furey (LIB)
 • MPGudie Hutchings (LIB)
Area
 (2021)[3]
 • Land73.26 km2 (28.29 sq mi)
Elevation
 at weather station[4]
10.7 m (35.1 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total4,864
 • Density66.4/km2 (172/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−03:30 (NST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−02:30 (NDT)
Postal code span
A8A
Area code709
Highways Route 1 (TCH)
Route 430
Websitehttps://deerlake.ca/

Deer Lake is a town in the western part of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

The town derives its name from Deer Lake and is situated at the outlet of the upper Humber River at the northeastern end of the lake. It is contiguous with two smaller hamlets Nicholsville and Spillway.

History

The first settlers in the area arrived from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia in 1864. Originally loggers and trappers, the settlers later took up farming.

In 1922, a work camp was set up to support the pulp and paper industry in the form of the International Pulp and Paper Company. The camp would later become the town of Deer Lake. A formal townsite was constructed in 1925 and included a railway terminal, churches and a small hospital. The town was incorporated in 1950 with Phil Hodder as its first mayor.

Deer Lake Regional Airport, one of the busiest airports in the province, was built in 1955 and is one of the town's major employers. In 2004, the airport terminal was redesign was started, and completed in June 2007. The primary population that the airport serves is approximately 55,000. The airport serves people from Rocky Harbour to Corner Brook, as well as around Deer Lake.

An air raid siren, brought over from England during the construction of the hydro plant in the 1920s, is located at the plant and heard around town. The whistle blows at 7 and 8 AM, at noon and 1 PM, and at 5 and 6 PM. It is heard throughout the community from Monday to Saturday but not on Sunday.[5]

Name

The town was named by early settlers of the area. Caribou could be seen crossing the lake in huge quantities. The first Europeans who came to this area, having never before seen caribou called them 'deer'. However, 'deer' in older times could simply mean animal. The town was then named accordingly.

Economy

The town is located in Division No. 5 and is the gateway to the Great Northern Peninsula, owing to an important highway interchange on the Trans-Canada Highway. It is the closest major community to Gros Morne National Park and is home to the Deer Lake Regional Airport.

A hydroelectric plant was established on the Humber River in 1925 to provide electricity to a pulp and paper mill in Corner Brook.

Sights and tourism

Deer Lake offers accommodation for tourists as well as restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and gas stations. There is a stadium, swimming pool and a bowling alley in the Hodder Memorial Recreational Complex. St. Paul's United Church, a wooden church dating from 1955 and the modern Salvation Army building are worth a visit.

The town has two major trail systems: namely, the "Deer Lake Beach Trail," which extends to the north end of Deer Lake, and the Humber River Nature Trail that extends from Nicholsville Bridge to Deer Lake Airport.[6]

Snowmobile Hub Map for Deer Lake, NL

The town is often referred to as the Snowmobile Hub of Newfoundland and Labrador because it has the advantage of being located at the center of a network of groomed trails that lead to the deep powder and untouched vistas of the province[7]

The town is home to a number of festivals and events throughout the year, including the Annual Deer Lake Strawberry Festival, Thomas Amusements Fair, and The Deer Lake Winterfest.[8][9]

Demographics

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Deer Lake had a population of 4,864 living in 2,139 of its 2,309 total private dwellings, a change of -7.3% from its 2016 population of 5,249. With a land area of 73.26 km2 (28.29 sq mi), it had a population density of 66.4/km2 (172.0/sq mi) in 2021.[3]

Climate

Deer Lake has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with moderately warm summers that are on the short side, with winters that are moderated by its proximity to a large body of water. With precipitation high year-round, Deer Lake receives plenty of snowfall in winters.

Climate data for Deer Lake
Climate ID: 8401500; coordinates 49°10′N 57°26′W / 49.167°N 57.433°W / 49.167; -57.433 (Deer Lake); elevation: 10.7 m (35 ft); 1991–2020 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 16.5
(61.7)		 14.0
(57.2)		 19.0
(66.2)		 23.0
(73.4)		 28.0
(82.4)		 33.0
(91.4)		 35.6
(96.1)		 32.2
(90.0)		 29.0
(84.2)		 23.3
(73.9)		 21.1
(70.0)		 16.7
(62.1)		 35.6
(96.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −3.1
(26.4)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 0.7
(33.3)		 6.3
(43.3)		 12.9
(55.2)		 18.0
(64.4)		 21.9
(71.4)		 21.6
(70.9)		 17.0
(62.6)		 10.4
(50.7)		 4.6
(40.3)		 0.0
(32.0)		 8.9
(48.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) −7.2
(19.0)		 −8.0
(17.6)		 −4.1
(24.6)		 1.9
(35.4)		 7.4
(45.3)		 12.2
(54.0)		 16.5
(61.7)		 16.4
(61.5)		 12.3
(54.1)		 6.6
(43.9)		 1.5
(34.7)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 4.4
(39.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −11.2
(11.8)		 −12.7
(9.1)		 −8.8
(16.2)		 −2.5
(27.5)		 1.9
(35.4)		 6.4
(43.5)		 11.0
(51.8)		 11.3
(52.3)		 7.5
(45.5)		 2.7
(36.9)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 −6.6
(20.1)		 −0.2
(31.6)
Record low °C (°F) −33.9
(−29.0)		 −37.2
(−35.0)		 −35.0
(−31.0)		 −22.0
(−7.6)		 −10.6
(12.9)		 −4.4
(24.1)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −10.5
(13.1)		 −20.6
(−5.1)		 −29.4
(−20.9)		 −37.2
(−35.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 109.8
(4.32)		 83.5
(3.29)		 71.7
(2.82)		 70.1
(2.76)		 89.2
(3.51)		 88.3
(3.48)		 98.5
(3.88)		 109.9
(4.33)		 106.2
(4.18)		 105.7
(4.16)		 101.3
(3.99)		 97.3
(3.83)		 1,131.5
(44.55)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 24.8
(0.98)		 17.3
(0.68)		 27.5
(1.08)		 49.8
(1.96)		 84.3
(3.32)		 87.8
(3.46)		 98.5
(3.88)		 109.9
(4.33)		 106.2
(4.18)		 101.0
(3.98)		 74.8
(2.94)		 35.6
(1.40)		 817.5
(32.19)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 85.0
(33.5)		 66.1
(26.0)		 44.2
(17.4)		 20.3
(8.0)		 4.8
(1.9)		 0.5
(0.2)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 4.8
(1.9)		 26.6
(10.5)		 61.7
(24.3)		 314
(123.7)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 19.3 16.0 15.1 13.0 15.4 13.9 15.1 15.4 16.0 18.9 17.4 20.4 195.9
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 2.7 2.9 5.6 9.5 15.0 13.9 15.1 15.4 16.0 18.7 12.6 6.8 134.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 16.7 14.0 10.6 4.6 0.83 0.04 0 0 0 0.75 6.2 15.7 69.42
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada[4]

Transport

The community is served by Deer Lake Regional Airport, which offers direct flights to St. John's, Labrador City, Halifax, and Toronto. The town is also located on the Trans-Canada Highway, which connects it to the rest of Canada.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Deer Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  2. "Deer Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  3. 1 2 3 "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Newfoundland and Labrador". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  4. 1 2 "1981 to 2010 Canadian Climate Normals station data: Deer Lake, NL". Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "History - Deer Lake". Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Walking Trails of Deer Lake - Deer Lake". Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada – Official Tourism Website. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Snowmobile Hub - Deer Lake". Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Deer Lake Strawberry Festival - Deer Lake". Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada – Official Tourism Website. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Deer Lake (2023). "Deer Lake Festival" (PDF).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Deer Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.