The heart of Vermilion

The community of Vermilion offers opportunities for lifelong learners

Vermilion is a small town with a vibrant culture and passionate people.

The town is best known for the annual agricultural fair, and for former resident Becky Scott, who placed first in cross-country skiing at the Olympics in 2002. Hiking, cross-country skiing and agriculture are wildly popular with the locals, and community hangouts make up the heart of Vermilion.

An educational connection

Lakeland College offers students a place to grow. The college has small classes and a variety of courses that range from arts to trades or business. Mary Lee Prior, the economic development co-ordinator for the Town of Vermilion, said that the history of the town has made an enormous contribution to the amount of culturally rich recreational activities offered to the community by the college.

“It’s because of the history with the town,” said Prior.

The college opened in 1913 and it catered to demands of the community, by first opening a school of agriculture; now courses range from firefighting to environmental science, adventure tourism to interior design and early childhood education. The college has two locations, one in Vermilion and another in Lloydminister, and enrolment today is close to 2,000 students. Roughly 500 students live on campus and enjoy the small-town college experience.

Get into the outdoors

"The second (most popular hangout) would be the provincial park," said Prior.

Vermilion Provincial Park is open all year, and in the summer many people choose to camp here. Vermilion boasts having roughly 23 kilometres of hiking trails in the area; Wild Rose Trail, Cathedral Trail, Fescue Trail and Lakeside Trail are among the best. There are additional trails for cross-country skiing and horseback riding. Five kilometres of paved pathways are suitable for rollerblading, biking or wheelchair use.

If you’re lucky, you’ll spot owls, Canada geese and great blue herons at Vermilion Provincial Park. This park provides a spectacular home for many other animals too; you might even get the opportunity to see white-tailed deer, porcupines, squirrels and ducks.

Where it's at

Vermilion lies between Edmonton, Clandonald and Lloydminister, and you can easily access the area, Vermilion River County. The economy thrives based on agriculture, but there are many interesting elements in the area.