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Sundance is located within a coal lease; access is restricted. The site is about 1 km south of Wabamun Lake.

[FP, MEDIUM DUE TO NUMEROUS REFERENCES]

• Map of the Area
• Other Information
• Site Statistics
• References and Further Reading

Map of the Area

Any maps and map views are for general information only. Do not rely on them for navigation or to determine legal boundaries.

Other Information

Sundance Natural Area has undulating topography dissected by a small creek. The vegetation is mainly open, fire-successional aspen forest with scattered balsam poplar, white spruce and pine over a dense shrub/herb understorey.

No public access. The NA is surrounded by private land, grazing or coal leases. As a result, access would need to be negotiated with one of these lease/land holders [1].

Sundance and Coal. Transalta has six coal fired generating units at Sundance. The first was commissioned in 1970 and the last in 1980. Three of the six have since being retired. Two of the remaining have been converted to natural gas and the sixth is mothballed [2]. Previously, the coal for the units was sourced from the TransAlta Highvale Coal Mine that is adjacent to the power station [3].

Aboriginal Sundance. Alberta has a Sundance Beach (Pigeon Lake), Canyon, Pass, , Range (mountain), Creek, and a locality south of Wabamun Lake for which this NA is named. The Sundance was held by the plains First Nations around the summer solstice. Because the dance involved self-torture, it was banned under the Indian Act from 1884-1951 [4].

Site Statistics

Site Name	Sundance
Site Type	Natural Area
Subtype	Order-in-council (OC)
Natural Region(s)	Central Mixedwood
O.C. No. (Land Ref. Manual)	454/71
PASite ID (Map Ref #)	52
Site # (Parks Website)	568
Total Area	129.50 ha. (318.88 ac.)
Steward-Status
Recreation Activities	hunting, snowmobiling (off site)
IUCN	II
Operated By	Parks Division
Notes and Comments

References

The following links are provided as a courtesy but are not verified or endorsed by SAPAA. Clicking on the link will cause you to leave the SAPAA website. Primary source of information is: Information & Facilities – Sundance Natural Area | Alberta Parks (All links accessed on 2023-01-14).

1. Maps – Parkland County
2. Sundance – TransAlta
3. Sundance Power Station – Wikipedia
4. Aubrey, Merrily K., ed. Concise Place Names of Alberta. Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 2006; p. 311.

Further Reading

• Sun Dance | The Canadian Encyclopedia
• Alberta Sundance power station – Global Energy Monitor (gem.wiki)

Editing, Review and Silence Procedure

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3. Review for readability and alignment to SAPAA organizational reputation.
4. Best available image
5. Review for accuracy including:
   1. Correct map and site statistics
   2. Area size is correct
   3. Standards (e.g. use of hyphens, spelling, etc.)
   4. References are accessible and and notes match
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7. TEAM: Last walk through
   1. Any final discussion or notes
   2. Remove [name] from title
   3. Add to log book for silence procedure
   4. Delete these notes.