Balzac (Alberta) 4.98

Balzac is a hamlet in the southern portion of the Canadian province of Alberta, in Rocky View County. It is located immediately west of Queen Elizabeth II Highway, at the intersection with Highway 566, 24km north of Calgary city centre and 12km south of Airdrie.The hamlet is located in census division No. 6 and in the federal riding of Wild Rose. It is administered by Rocky View County.As of July 31, 2007, Balzac is now located immediately adjacent to Calgary's newly expanded northern city limits. Balzac is also directly west of the Crossiron Mills shopping mall.HistoryA Canadian Pacific Railway station began operating at Balzac in 1910. It was named by William Cornelius Van Horne, then president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, after one of his favourite authors, Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) a noted French novelist. The post office here was opened on April 1, 1912 under the name “Beddington” and was changed on July 1, 1925. The first warehouse was built in 1916, mostly for coal. Canadian Senator and senate reform advocate Bert Brown hails from Balzac.