About the 4-H Centre

Home / About the 4-H Centre

About Us

The Alberta 4-H Centre operates as a year-round facility that can be reserved by the general public. Home to not only winter and summer 4-H camps, the facility hosts a wide range of groups including schools, corporate groups, weddings, family reunions, conferences, retreats, workshops, AGMs, team building exercises, training sessions and much more.

Tucked away on 143 scenic acres along the shores of Battle Lake, this facility and its amenities is a hidden gem. Only 100k from Edmonton and 140 km from Red Deer, it is convenient for both mid-week meetings and weekend events.

History

In 1972, Wilf Longson brought forward an idea that would forever change the face of 4-H Alberta: establish a foundation and raise funds for a vital hub, a place all of 4-H Alberta could enjoy.

He envisioned a property located in Central Alberta that would serve as a multi-purpose space to accommodate outdoor programs, seminars, conferences, and other group activities. It would have the capacity of holding approximately 175 guests overnight and 300 guests throughout the day.

After many years of hard work, exploring, and consulting with multiple key stakeholders and 4-H enthusiasts, the decision was made: Battle Lake was the right fit and an option was signed to purchase 143 acres of land from Dr. Grant MacEwan, the land that would later be known as the Alberta 4-H Centre.

In September 1977, the land was officially purchased; 4-H clubs across Alberta held a variety of fundraising activities and presented Dr. Grant MacEwan with a cheque of $50,000! Following the acquisition of the land, the 4-H Foundation was established to help raise funds for the future Alberta 4-H Centre.

Today, the Alberta 4-H Centre is so much more than just a central gathering place. The centre serves as a home away from home for 4-H youth during the annual summer camping program. It is a hub for family events like weddings and reunions; our corporate partners use it as an inspiring space for annual general meetings and team building retreats.

Battle Lake History:

The Alberta 4-H Centre sits on the land of Battle Lake. The lakes name is a translation from Cree and refers to frequent conflicts between the Blackfoot and Cree in the region near the Battle River.

4-H Alberta

For over 100 years, 4-H Alberta has understood that young people want to be involved, valued, and heard. It makes this organization a great place for young people to get engaged, learn, and grow; we are incredibly proud of the positive impact our programs have on our members as well as on Alberta’s communities.

By following the 4-H motto “Learn to do by Doing”, we are teaching leadership, communication, technical, and life skills. We foster our youth to become independent thinkers, future leaders, and outstanding citizens.

Since our early days, we have expanded on our traditional 4-H programs. We are proud of our beef, dairy, and sheep projects – these are the programs that have anchored us in the agriculture communities and that have elevated this impactful youth organization.

Over time, we recognized that youth programs must evolve to align with the times and the needs of our ever changing society and environment. Thus, we created – and continue to create – a wide range of popular, non-livestock related projects: Field Crops, Engineering, Foods, Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Living, Health & Fitness, and Visual Arts just to name a few.

OUR VISION

4-H Alberta is recognized as the premier youth leadership organization in Alberta. Working together in a vibrant, thriving environment, we’re connecting people, ideas, and communities for a lifetime of benefit.

OUR MISSION

4-H Alberta inspires, educates, and develops Members who are outstanding rural and urban youth, leaders, and engaged citizens. Members learn to do by doing dynamic Projects, Programs and community service. In honouring our rural roots, we continue to recognize the importance of food and agriculture in Alberta.

4-H Foundation of Alberta

In 1977, the 4-H Foundation of Alberta was formed as a nonprofit organization to build and operate the Alberta 4-H Centre. Since then thousands of 4-H members, youth groups, corporations, government departments, and other groups have worked and socialized at the 4-H Centre located on Battle Lake.

The 4-H Foundation of Alberta is responsible for fund development, scholarships, and managing the Alberta 4-H Centre. The Foundation exists to seek, receive, and manage funds for 4-H initiatives across Alberta.

Scholarships:

The 4-H Foundation of Alberta is proud to award a number of scholarships every year. These scholarships would not be possible without the generosity and support of sponsors, community members, and philanthropists. For more information regarding scholarships please visit click here.