Education
The Smoky River Region has multiple educational opportunities for young families searching for a place to call home. Falher has two schools: Ecole Routhier School, a bilingual elementary school ers.hprd.ca, and Ecole Heritage, a French culture and language school providing education from kindergarten to Grade 12. heritage.csno.ab.ca.
Donnelly is home to Georges P. Vanier Junior/High School, providing education in both French and English. The school provides experiences for students in music, arts, and trades, to name a few. gpv.hpsd.ca.
All the schools in the region have wonderful educators who work hard to involve modern technology into their programs.
Post-secondary students also can be educated within the region. Northern Lakes College in McLennan provides tutelage in a variety of programs, allowing students to stay at home while gaining knowledge to begin a successful career. northernlakescollege.ca
Recreation
The Smoky River Region provides many recreational opportunities in each municipality.
The Little Smoky Ski hill located in the MD of Smoky River provides skiing opportunities for every skier from novice to expert. Boasting ten ski runs, a full day of skiing or snowboarding can be enjoyed. For those who may not ski, there is a tube park to provide fun for the whole family. Check out their website at www.littlesmokyski.ca for more information.
One can visit 5 Star Golf Course, southwest of Guy in the MD of Smoky River, nestled in the Little Smoky River valley. This course is a 9-hole course with camping opportunities available.
Three arenas are part of the region and they are all available for use for the hockey, figure skating or curling enthusiasts. There is an outdoor pool and splash park in Falher for those who like to swim. There are also outside skating rinks in Girouxville and Jean Cote. There are also several ball diamonds in the region for people to enjoy their favorite pass-time.
In Girouxville, one can try their hand at bowling at the Smoky Lanes Bowling Alley. Once done, they can head over to the Musée Girouxville Museum for a flashback into the Smoky River Region’s history.
Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking or cross-country skiing in the O’Mahony Conservation Area in the Winagami Provincial Park area.
Camping is also available in each municipality, at 5 Star Golf Course, or in the Winagami Provincial Park.
Community Services
Our residents are proud of the variety of services available in the region. The long list of service businesses in our region includes but is not limited to hotels, grocery stores, restaurants, contractor services, carpenters, and many more. The Smoky River Regional Fire Department is compiled of volunteer firefighters who work hard to provide critical services to our region. They work closely with Emergency services and the McLennan RCMP detachment to ensure our residents are safe.
FCSS (Family and Community Support Services) are also available in Falher to provide the region with a variety of services, including low-income income tax return aide, food bank, and youth programming to our communities.
Health Care
Residents and visitors of the region have access to exemplary healthcare professionals. There are two clinics located in the region, the McLennan Medical Clinic and Falher Medical Clinic. Both provide access to doctors for general health care needs. The hospital, located in McLennan called the Sacred Heart Health Centre, has an emergency room, palliative care unit, ambulance service, lab testing, and conducts endoscopic procedures.
Dental Care professionals are available in Falher or the Satellite Dental Clinic at McLennan’s Sacred Heart Health Centre.
Daycare
Facebook page: Busy Bee Daycare