St. Paul, Alberta

UFO Landing Pad in St. Paul, Photo by Bryan C. Passifiume

About St. Paul, Alberta

When visiting the town of St. Paul, it is hard to resist its small town charm and friendly residents. St. Paul is located 2 hours northeast of Edmonton near Upper Therien Lake, and boasts a population of over 5,800 residents living in more than 2,300 homes. The real estate market includes a mixture of bungalows, bi-level, multi-storey, townhouse, and duplex properties. There are also a wide variety of rural and acreage homes available in the surrounding area. St. Paul has an excellent school system including French Immersion programs and post-secondary options. Nearby is Blue Quills First Nations College.

St. Paul's signature attraction and landmark is the UFO Landing Pad. This extraterrestrial Landing Pad is the first of its kind and was constructed in 1967, and has become a favourite tourist attraction throughout Alberta.

You can also visit the St. Paul People’s Museum, which features artifacts of the surrounding area and information on St. Paul’s rich history. The town was founded by a Metis Colony in 1896 and used to be known as St. Paul de Metis. Eventually, the colony dissolved and St. Paul de Metis was inhabited by French-Catholic groups in 1909. The village of St. Paul emerged by 1912 and 24 years later the area was granted town status. Today, The town of St. Paul has a strong economy driven by the agricultural, oil and gas, and service industries.

Despite being a small town, St. Paul is filled with family-friendly recreational opportunities. The Visual Arts Centre provides arts, crafts, and pottery programming for both adults or children. The centre also has an Arts Exhibit on twice a year and an annual Christmas Sale. Many other indoor-activities can be found at the Public Library, which regularly hosts events such as yoga, reading programs, ladies nights, and children's storytime. There is also an aquatic centre, a bowling alley, and two arenas in town.

If you prefer to be outdoors, St. Paul has you covered: since the town is conveniently located near Upper Therien Lake, residents enjoy boating and water-based activities in the summer, and skating in the winter. Other St. Paul activities include camping, curling, bowling, and working out at the local rec centre. There are many local community parks in town, and the Blue Quills National Wildlife area is nearby, which is one of the best places in the Province to go bird watching. Camping is also popular, and whether you've got an RV or prefer tenting, there are many great campgrounds in the St. Paul area.