Its prairie location is miles from the ocean, so why is it called Viking?

Viking, Alberta was founded by Norwegian settlers who wanted to honour their Scandinavian heritage. Today, Troll Park pays homage to the Scandinavian spirit with features like a Viking ship, Nordic runes, sculptures of mythological trolls, along with real-life fauna from the settlers’ homeland.

Set amid farmer’s fields, Viking sees a smattering of small lakes north, east, and west of town. The largest one is nearby Thomas Lake, just five kilometres or less than 10 minutes’ drive from town. Other spaces to enjoy nature nearby include Camp Lake, a private campground and recreational area, and Long Lake and Miquelon Lake provincial parks. Nearby, you can check out the only ribstones, or boulder petroglyphs, created by ancient Indigenous Peoples in their original location. A little beyond, you can see the spot where the Iron Creek Meteorite, weighing over 145 kilograms, fell from the sky. Visit Naturalization Park, or walk along Bluebird Trail, which features more than 1,200 bluebird nest boxes and stretches along 275 miles of road in Beaver County.

Viking loves to stay active and social, with a variety of clubs and sports teams in town. Facilities include the Community Hall, Senior’s Centre, Legion, and Municipal Library. This little community takes great pride in locals who moved on to great things as professional athletes, coaches, and as politicians. The Viking Carena complex, a multi-purpose recreation centre, maintains a memorial gallery dedicated to the Sutter family, who had six of their sons go on to play in the NHL, with four of them going on to coaching or general management roles after retiring from the ice. The facility itself features a regulation-sized hockey rink, walking track, fitness centre, kitchen, and meeting space, and plays hosts to many games and tournaments.

It’s a small and close-knit community. There’s a K-12 school, with a daycare based within the Carena Centre and a dog park for four-legged family members. Viking’s rich history is preserved in several historic buildings, the local museum, which is housed in the original community hospital, and the old railway station. The community celebrated its centennial in 2009, and many buildings date back over a hundred years. That said, the railway station in Viking is still an active Via Rail train stop. You can find local events throughout the year on the town’s website, including golf tournaments, curling bonspiels, rodeo events, and summer festivals.

Learn more about this cozy community by visiting Town of Viking’s official website or Facebook page.