AWI Infrastructure


Much of the early social infrastructure of rural Alberta was either financed, built, or maintained by the Alberta Women's Institutes, including libraries, community halls, recreation centres, hospitals, nurse's homes, arenas, cemeteries, and rest rooms. This was their largest contribution to rural infrastructure, along with an impressive catalogue of such intangibles as scholarships, and playground and farm safety programs.

The following list of WI branches that were responsible for infrastructure in their communities has been compiled from information contained in rural histories lodged with the Provincial Archives and from WI histories. It is intended to be indicative rather than exhaustive.

Libraries/ Travelling Libraries:

  • Argyle
  • Balmoral
  • Bancroft
  • Berwyn
  • Bon Accord
  • Boyle
  • Brightwood
  • Calgary
  • Cereal
  • Clearview
  • Coaldale
  • Colchester
  • Conquerville
  • Creighton
  • Delburne
  • Didsbury
  • Dinton
  • Duffield
  • Eagle Valley
  • Fort Saskatchewan
  • Glendale
  • Good Deeds
  • Grande Prairie
  • Griffin Creek
  • Grimshaw
  • Independence
  • Innisfail
  • LeducLone Pine
  • Lougheed
  • Mannville
  • Milk River
  • Millet
  • Munson
  • New Dayton
  • North Red Deer / Lacombe
  • Olds
  • Onoway
  • Rush Centre
  • St. Albert
  • Sedgewick
  • Stony Plain
  • Tofield
  • Tomahawk
  • Wabamun
  • Wandering River
  • Warner
  • Community Halls / Recreation Centres / Club Rooms:

    • Aldersyde
    • Barons
    • Belvedere
    • Bon Accord
    • Boyle
    • Busby
    • Delia  (Majestic-Farrell Lake?)
    • Delburne
    • Didsbury
    • Dinton
    • Fort Saskatchewan
    • Griffin Creek
    • Hattonford
    • Hillsdown
    • Hillsdown-Valley
    • Hilltop
    • Independence
    • Innisfail
    • Kanata
    • Kinsella
    • Langdon
    • Lochearn
    • Lone Pine
    • Lousana
    • Lyalta
    • Millarville
    • Millet
    • Minburn
    • Molde  (Valhalla Busy Bees)
    • Munson
    • Onoway
    • Penhold
    • Reid Hall
    • Rockyview
    • Round Hill
    • St. Albert
    • Sedgewick
    • Sibbald
    • Stony Plain
    • Sylvan Lake
    • Tofield
    • Walsh
    • Westoe

    Maternity Homes/Cottage Hospitals/Nurses' Home/Doctor's Office:

    • Berwyn
    • Creighton
    • Kinuso
    • Peace River
    • Sedgewick
    • Sexsmith
    • (Waterhole) Fairview

    Arenas/Curling Rinks/Recreation Grounds/Parks/Playgrounds:

    • Blackfalds
    • Coaldale
    • Dinton
    • Fairview
    • Glendon
    • Sibbald
    • Stony Plain

    Rest Rooms:

    • Angus Ridge
    • Argyle
    • Barons
    • Bashaw
    • Berwyn
    • Better Days
    • Bow Island
    • Carmangay
    • Cereal (Prairie Circle)
    • Champion
    • Coaldale
    • Creighton
    • Delburne
    • Didsbury
    • Golden Deeds
    • Grande Prairie
    • Griffin Creek
    • Grimshaw
    • Happy Centre
    • Hilltop
    • Hughenden
    • Irma
    • Islay
    • Lacombe
    • Lethbridge
    • Lone Pine
    • Mannville
    • Millet
    • Munson
    • Nightingale
    • Olds
    • Onoway
    • Peace River
    • Sedgewick
    • Spirit River
    • Stony Plain
    • Strathmore
    • Tofield
    • Viking
    • Vulcan
    • Youngstown

    Development / Maintenance of Cemeteries:

    • Botha
    • Cereal
    • Colchester
    • Fort Saskatchewan
    • Grimshaw
    • Hughenden
    • Irma
    • Kinsella
    • Lougheed
    • Mahaska
    • Millet
    • Minburn
    • Munson
    • New Dayton
    • Quinte
    • Redlandview
    • Round Hill
    • Sedgewick
    • Sibbald
    • Taber
    • Viking (Rosegarland)
    • Warner

    Pier:

    Swimming Pool:

    Gravel Streets:

    Museum:

    Home and School: