Uranium City, Saskatchewan

Uranium City is a settlement in northwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is on the northern shores of Lake Athabasca near the border of the Northwest Territories. It is located at coord|59|34|N|108|37|W| and 230 m above sea level. The settlement is 450 miles (760 km) northwest of Prince Albert, 450 miles (760 km) northeast of Edmonton and 30 miles (48 km) south of the Northwest Territories-Saskatchewan boundary. For census purposes, it is located within the province's Division No. 18 territory.

History

In 1952, the provincial government decided to establish a town to service the mines in the Beaverlodge uranium area by Eldorado Mining and Refining Limited. In 1954 the local newspaper "The Uranium Times" noted that 52 mines were operating and 12 open pit mines were next to Beaverlodge Lake. [http://pages.interlog.com/~grlaird/beaverlodge.html Fission Avenue: Uranium City "Beaverlodge"] ] Initially, most of the residences in Uranium City were simply tents. With the boom of uranium mining, "Uranium City" was a thriving town up to the year 1982, with its population approaching the 5,000 threshold required to achieve city status in the province. The closure of the mines in 1983 led to economic collapse, with most residents of the town leaving. It was later designated as a northern settlement with about 300 people remaining. After the closure of the local hospital in the spring of 2003, the population fell further to about 70 people.Fact|date=February 2007 Currently southerners, Métis and Natives live in and around the city. [http://pages.interlog.com/~grlaird/uraniumcity2.html Fission Avenue: Uranium City Pg2] ] Its current population is 89 people.

Transportation

The town has a certified airport (see Uranium City Airport) that features a treated gravel runway of 3930 feet length operated by the Saskatchewan Government Department of Highways & Transportation. The airport is one of the few employers left in the community. Transwest Air [cite web | url=http://www.transwestair.com/default.aspx?page=32 | publisher=Transwest Air | title=Uranium City Schedule | accessdate=2006-09-02 ] and Pronto Airways [cite web | url= http://www.bookpronto.com/index.php?p=3796#be7 | publisher=Pronto Airways | title=Uranium City Schedule | accessdate=2008-11-14 ] still serve Uranium City, with flights from Stony Rapids Airport continuing to points south. Norcanair served the community with scheduled flights until it ceased operations in 2005. [cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/sask/story/airline-grounded050222.html | title=Soaring insurance grounds airline | accessdate=2006-09-02 | publisher=CBC Saskatchewan ]

There is no normal road access connecting Uranium City with the rest of Canada. There is provision for a winter road which connects with Fond-du-Lac. [cite web | url=http://roadinfo.telenium.ca/results.html | accessdate=2006-09-01 | publisher=Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation | title=Winter Highway Conditions] Highway 962 provides travel for a short distance within the local area. A significant bridge replacement project on Highway 962 was conducted in 2001 at the Fredette River. [cite web | url=http://www.esemag.com/0303/uranium.html | title=Culvert headwall system conquers site constraints at Uranium City | coauthors=Jim McGeary, Doug Lowry | accessdate=2006-09-01 | publisher=Environmental Science and Engineering | year=2003 | month=March ]

Communications

Local telephone service is provided by SaskTel and was first available in Uranium City on 30 November 1955. [cite web | url=http://www.sasktel.com/about-us/company-information/history/1950s.html | title=SaskTel history (1950s) | accessdate=2006-09-02 ] Current telephone numbers for international calling are of the form +1 306 498 xxxx (NPA-NXX: 306-498, CLLI: URCYSK05DS0). [cite web | url=http://www.localcallingguide.com/lca_prefix.php?npa=306&nxx=498 | title=Local Calling Guide | accessdate=2006-09-02]

Canada Post continues to deliver mail to the community. The post office is located at the municipal office(Postal Code: S0J 2W0). [ [http://www.canadapost.com Canada Post] listings as of 2 September 2006.]

Radio broadcasting in the community is provided by:
* 97.9 FM - VF2142 - broadcaster unknowncite web | url=http://radiostationworld.com/Locations/Canada/Saskatchewan/radio.asp?m=nor | publisher=RadioStationWorld | title=Saskatchewan - Radio Broadcasting Stations | accessdate=2006-09-04 ]
* 99.9 or 101.1 FM - Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation [cite web | url=http://www.mbcradio.com/about_us/communities_list.htm | publisher=Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation | title=Communities List | accessdate=2006-09-04 Frequency information is inconsistent - this source indicates frequency is 101.1 FM but other sources claim 99.9 FM.]
* 103.1 FM - VF2240 - broadcaster unknown
* 105.1 FM - CBDH-FM, CBC Radio One, rebroadcasting CBKA-FM La Ronge. [cite web | url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2006/db2006-409.htm | title=Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-409 | accessdate=2006-09-02 | date=2006-08-24 | author=CRTC]

Television service is provided by CBKAT operating on channel 8 at a power of 15 watts. This is a rebroadcaster of CBC Television service from CBKT Regina. Until 2003, the local transmitter's television programming originated from CBC North. [cite web | url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2003/db2003-186.htm | title=Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2003-186 | date=2003-06-16 | accessdate=2006-09-02 |author=CRTC ]

Education

Education in Uranium City is under the authority of Northern Lights School Division 113, a school district that covers most of northern Saskatchewan.

The only remaining school in Uranium City is Ben McIntyre School, serving classes from kindergarten to Grade 9. As of September 2005, 10 students were enrolled. [cite web| url=http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/branches/ed_finance/as_pdf/113.pdf | title=2005-2006 Active List of Saskatchewan Schools | accessdate=2006-09-02 | date=2006-01-05 |format=PDF, ] [cite web | url=http://www.stf.sk.ca/inside_stf/bulletin/pdf/2002_2003_bulletin/Nov20_02.pdf | title=Retired teaching couple embark on northern adventure | pages=5-6 | date=2002-11-20 ]

Secondary education was provided by CANDU High School, named after a nuclear reactor. According to travelers Vincent Chan and Tricia Holopina who visited the city in 2002, locals state that the school was opened in 1980. It closed in 1982 (after only two years of service) and the building has since sustained extensive vandalism. [cite web | url=http://tricia.arcticcircle.ca/UC/page_01.htm | title=Tricia and Vince's Saskatchewan Trip 2002 | accessdate=2006-09-02 ] [http://pages.interlog.com/~grlaird/uraniumcity2.html Fission Avenue: Uranium City "Candu High"] ]

Notable people

The following people are associated with Uranium City by birth, residence or career:

* Gina Kingsbury, member of gold medal winning Canadian women's ice hockey team at the 2006 Winter Olympics
* Gilbert LaBine, a founder of the Gunnar Mine
* Morningstar Mercredi, author [cite web | url=http://www.coteaubooks.com/biomorningstar.html | accessdate=2006-09-03 | title=Morningstar Mercredi profile | publisher=Coteau Books ]
* James O'Reilly, playwright [cite web | url=http://www.playwrightsguild.com/pgc/c_playwright.asp?codein=3C62723E3C62723E3C62723E313136343C62723E3C62723E | publisher=Playwrights Guild of Canada | title=James O'Reilly profile | accessdate=2006-09-03 ]
* Larry McIntyre, professional hockey player, Toronto Maple Leafs.

ee also

*List of uranium mines

References

External links

* [http://www.uraniumcity.org/ Friends of Uranium City]
* [http://www.copanational.org/PlacesToFly/airport_view.php?pr_id=11&ap_id=436 COPA "Places To Fly" page about the town's airport]
*http://www.flickr.com/photos/uraniumcity