Penhold, a town nestled in central Alberta, Canada, is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is situated 16 km south of Red Deer at the junction of Highway 2A and Highway 42, and 128 kilometres north of Calgary, east of the Red Deer River.
The history of Penhold, Alberta, dates back to its days as a whistle stop along the Canadian Pacific Railway. The town was incorporated as the Village of Penhold in 1904. The name "Penhold" seems to have originated around the time the railroad siding was established. No earlier instances of the name have been found. In 1981, due to significant population growth in the late 1970s, the Village of Penhold was incorporated as a town.
During the second world war, a Royal Canadian Air Force Station was established near Penhold, Alberta. This station, however, was closed in 1994.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Penhold, Alberta, had a population of 3,484 living in 1,325 of its 1,396 total private dwellings. This represented a change of 6% from its 2016 population of 3,287. With a land area of 11.2 km2, it had a population density of 311.1/km2 in 2021. According to its 2019 municipal census, the population of Penhold was 3,563, a change of 25.4% from its 2014 municipal census population of 2,842. In the 2016 Census of Population, Penhold recorded a population of 3,277 living in 1,235 of its 1,300 total private dwellings, a 38% change from its 2011 population of 2,375. With a land area of 5.29 km2, it had a population density of 619.5/km2 in 2016.
Penhold, Alberta, offers a variety of attractions for both residents and visitors. These include a museum, a recreation centre with an indoor arena, a baseball diamond, library, a splash park, a campground, an outdoor ice rink, and a skate park/pump track. Future developments include two more ball diamonds, walking trails, and 2 soccer fields.
