- Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan
-
Meadow Lake
Lac des PrairiesMotto: Gateway to Pure Air and Water Location of Meadow Lake in Saskatchewan Coordinates: 54°07′27″N 108°26′09″W / 54.12417°N 108.43583°W Country Canada Province Saskatchewan Incorporated Village August 29, 1931 Incorporated Town February 1, 1936 Incorporated City November 9, 2009 Government – Mayor Gary Vidal – MLA Constituency of Meadow Lake Jeremy Harrison – MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River Rob Clarke Area – Total 7.95 km2 (3.1 sq mi) Elevation480.40[1] 498.30 m (1,635 ft) Population (2006)[2] – Total 4,771 – Metro density 599.8/km2 (1,553.5/sq mi) Time zone Central Standard Time (UTC−6) Highways Hwy 55, Hwy 4 Post office established January 1, 1911 Website Meadow Lake [3][4][5][6][7] Meadow Lake is a city located in north west Saskatchewan, Canada about 246 kilometers (153 mi) north east of Lloydminster and 156 kilometers (97 mi) north of North Battleford.[8] On November 9, 2009, it officially became Saskatchewan's 14th city.[9]
Meadow Lake is the main business centre in northwest Saskatchewan and serves the many towns and villages as a regional shopping centre. It is the second-largest community in Saskatchewan's Census Division No. 17, after Saskatchewan's portion of the interprovincial city of Lloydminster. Incorporated as a city on November 9, 2009, Meadow Lake is the newest city in Saskatchewan. The city borders the Rural Municipality of Meadow Lake No. 588 and the Flying Dust First Nation Indian reserve.
Contents
History
Peter Fidler built Bolsover House in 1799 near "Lac des Prairies", the first name given to Meadow Lake. In 1873 Metis families arrived establishing a Hudson's Bay Company trading post, joined by other settlers in the early 1900s. The largest impetus occurred following a fire of 1919 and the exodus of some of the settlers during the Great Depression from the Dust Bowl of central and southern Saskatchewan to communities in the north.[7][10][11]
Demographics
Historical Population Year Pop. ±% 1955 2,216 — 1991 4,318 +94.9% 1996 4,819 +11.6% 2001 4,582 −4.9% 2006 4,771 +4.1% [2][12][13] The Meadow Lake Indian Band was established in 1889 with signing of Treaty 6 to the north of Meadow Lake. This reserve is now named the Flying Dust First Nation.[10]
The 1955 population was established as 1,978 by the Saskatchewan Business Directory and as 2,453 in the 1955 Golden Jubilee edition of Saskatchewan Business Directory. 2,216 given in the table is the average of these two population counts.[10]
On November 9, 2009, it officially became Saskatchewan's 14th city.[9][14] The population is a matter of uncertainty. The 2001 census showed only a population of 4,582 persons living on 7.64 km2 (2.95 sq mi) of land - Saskatchewan generally requires a sustained population over 5,000 to qualify for city status - however, the city's Community Profile indicates that an unofficial re-count by Statistics Canada in 2004 showed a population of 5,021.[15] However, the 2006 census figure shows 4,771, while population figures cited in the Community Report and based upon information from Saskatchewan Health claim a 2005 population of 6648. By comparison, Melville, Saskatchewan still retains its city charter despite a population drop to between 4,200 and 4,300.
Canada census – Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan Community Profile 2006 2001 Population:
Land area:
Population density:
Median age:
Total private dwellings:
Mean household income:4,771 (4.1% from 2001)
7.95 km2 (3.07 sq mi)
599.8 /km2 (1,553 /sq mi)
31.8 (males: 29.7, females: 33.2)
1,869
$49,7804,582 (- 4.9% from 1996)
7.64 km2 (2.95 sq mi)
600.1 /km2 (1,554 /sq mi)
32.1 (males: 30.8, females: 33.4)
1,782
$45,271Geography
Meadow Lake is located in the middle of an area pre-historically covered by a large glacial lake also called Meadow Lake (Saskatchewan) formed from a receding continental glacier, of which only a fraction still exists. The lake is located on the east side of the city. The ancient lakeshore forms the Meadow Lake Escarpment, a significant terrain feature clearly visible looking south from many points in the city.
The area is a part of the Southern Boreal EcoRegion with the Northern Boreal EcoRegion to the north and the Parkland EcoRegion on the south. The neighbouring rural areas include Trembling aspen Populus tremuloides, White spruce Picea glauca, Jack Pine Pinus banksiana, Black Spruce Picea mariana and muskegs[7][18]
Specifically Meadow Lake is situated in the Meadow Lake plain of the Boreal transition ecoregion in the Boreal Plain ecozone.[19]
Climate
Meadow Lake experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) that falls just short of being classified as a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc). A record high of 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) was set August 10, 1991, and −47 °C (−52.6 °F) was felt December 21, 1990. A record snowfall occurred November 16, 1984, with 19.4 centimeters (7.6 in) and a record 57.8 millimeters (2.28 in) of rain fell May 17, 1984. A record snowfall depth was recorded February 22, 1997, when 58 centimeters (23 in) was measured. January 11, 1986, was very cold with wind gusting to 104 kilometers (65 mi) per hour. The humidex was set at a high of 40.4 on August 10, 1991, and the opposite extreme was felt with a −55.8 windchill on December 20, 1989.
Climate data for Meadow Lake Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 8.9
(48.0)9.5
(49.1)17.5
(63.5)30.2
(86.4)34.2
(93.6)35.8
(96.4)33.4
(92.1)37.2
(99.0)33.2
(91.8)27.7
(81.9)19.2
(66.6)11.2
(52.2)37.2
(99.0)Average high °C (°F) −11.7
(10.9)−8.1
(17.4)−0.5
(31.1)9.6
(49.3)17.6
(63.7)21.4
(70.5)23.4
(74.1)22.8
(73.0)16.6
(61.9)9.4
(48.9)−3.1
(26.4)−10.4
(13.3)7.3 Daily mean °C (°F) −18.1
(−0.6)−14.8
(5.4)−7
(19)3.3
(37.9)10.1
(50.2)14.5
(58.1)16.6
(61.9)15.4
(59.7)9.9
(49.8)3.3
(37.9)−8
(18)−16.2
(2.8)0.8 Average low °C (°F) −24.4
(−11.9)−21.4
(−6.5)−13.6
(7.5)−3.1
(26.4)2.6
(36.7)7.5
(45.5)9.8
(49.6)8.0
(46.4)3.1
(37.6)−2.8
(27.0)−12.8
(9.0)−21.9
(−7.4)−5.8 Record low °C (°F) −47
(−53)−45.1
(−49.2)−49.9
(−57.8)−31.8
(−25.2)−10
(14)−2.5
(27.5)1.2
(34.2)−3.6
(25.5)−9.4
(15.1)−22.7
(−8.9)−41.5
(−42.7)−47
(−53)−47
(−53)Precipitation mm (inches) 15.6
(0.614)11.3
(0.445)14.3
(0.563)26.0
(1.024)45.5
(1.791)63.5
(2.5)78.4
(3.087)61.7
(2.429)39.5
(1.555)20.7
(0.815)19.5
(0.768)19.0
(0.748)414.8
(16.331)Source: Environment Canada[20] Government
Meadow Lake has a mayor as the highest ranking government official. Voters also elect aldermen or councillors to form the municipal council. Currently the mayor is Gary Vidal.[21]
Provincially, Meadow Lake is within the Meadow Lake constituency. It is currently represented served by their MLA, Jeremy Harrison of the Saskatchewan Party.[3]
Meadow lake is represented in the Canadian House of Commons by its MP of the Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River riding, currently Rob Clarke of the Conservative Party.
Economy
The tourism, fishing, fur, pulpwood, forestry, agricultural grains, livestock, dairy and poultry product industries all support Meadow Lake which boasted seven grain elevators in 1955. Meadow Lake was processing three million bushels of grain in 1953, the highest amount for a single Canadian community.[10]
Currently the city's heavy industry is dominated by the primary forestry industry and related service companies, including trucking and forestry management companies. The forest companies include NorSask Forest Products Inc., Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp Ltd. and the Meadow Lake OSB Limited Partnership. Support industries include Mistik Management and various privately held trucking companies.
Meadow Lake acts as a business hub in its local area, providing services for the smaller surrounding communities of Dorintosh and Rapid View and surrounding reserves including the Flying Dust First Nation and the Eagles Lake reserve.
A major component of the Meadow Lake economy is the First Nation communities and their relative success. The Flying Dust First Nation, which directly borders the town, owns and operates many of the city's most profitable industries, including direct ownership of NorSask Forest Products Inc., a portion of the Meadow Lake OSB Partnership, stakes in local trucking and service companies, and a sizeable farming operation which is currently limited to leasing the vast amounts of local property they own or have title on.
The community’s agricultural community is also sizeable, including both cereal production and ranching operations. The most pristine agricultural lands are closest to the city, whereas the surrounding areas become less suitable for farming and more amenable to ranching as you progress north Canadian Shield or east to the St. Cyr Hills. The city boasts one stockyard and two major agricultural equipment dealers.
The community is home to the SaskPower Meadow Lake Power Station.
The community is 40 km southeast of Meadow Lake Provincial Park.
Education
Meadow Lake is served by Transition Place Education Center, Carpenter High, Jonas Samson Junior High, Lakeview elementary, Jubilee Elementary, Gateway Elementary, and North-West Regional College,[22] which offers courses at both the college and university levels. University courses, including complete, community-based Bachelor of Education and Master of Education programs are offered by the University of Regina.
In the spring of 2005, the Government of Saskatchewan invested CA$41,000 to upgrade the roof at Jonas Samson Junior High School.[23] Academy of Learning AOL is a post seconary career and business college in Meadow Lake.[24] For the school year 2007-2008, Lakeview Elementary School started a much anticipated French Immersion Program. Historically the Meadow Lake area was served by several one room school houses, the closest being the Meadow Lake School District #1201 Township 59, range 17, west of the 3rd Meridian.[25]
Local Media
- Newspapers
The Northern Pride is an award winning weekly newspaper based in Meadow Lake and servicing northwest Saskatchewan.
The Meadow Lake Progress is a local newspaper.
- Radio
CJNS-FM 102.3 and CFDM-FM 105.7 are the local radio stations.
Transportation
Meadow Lake is located on SK Highway 55, and SK Highway 4. The Prince Albert - Leoville - Meadow Lake - North Battleford Canadian Pacific Railway reached Meadow Lake Station at Section 26, Township 59, Range 17, west of the Third Meridian in 1931.[10] Meadow Lake Airport (IATA: YLJ, ICAO: CYLJ) is located 2 NM (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) west of Meadow Lake.[26]
Sites of interest
Meadow Lake's slogan is "Gateway to Pure Air and Water."
Meadow Lake now has a brand new Tourist Information Centre, which is shared by the Meadow Lake Museum Society, Northern Saskatchewan Tourism, and the Meadow Lake Chamber of Commerce. This is located coming into town on highway #4 South.
Meadow Lake Provincial Park, located about 40 km to the north, takes its name from the city. Meadow Lake Lions Regional Park, Nesset Lake Recreation Site and Saint Cyr Hills Trails Recreation Site are neighbouring conservation areas.[27]
Notable people
Notable persons who were born, grew up, or established their fame in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan:
- Blake Comeau - 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Gold Medallist, NHL hockey player with the New York Islanders
- Jeff Friesen - Former NHL hockey player
- Joe Handley - Former Premier of The Northwest Territories
- Jeremy Harrison - Current MLA
- D. J. King - NHL hockey player with the Washington Capitals
- Kristina Lenko - Dancing on Ice Skater
- Merlin "the Magician" Malinowski - Former NHL hockey player
- Jon Mirasty - AHL hockey player
- Mike Siklenka - AHL hockey player
- Maynard Sonntag - Former Saskatchewan Cabinet Minister
- Jeremy Yablonski - NHL and AHL hockey player
References
- ^ "Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000". Environment Canada. http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=SASK&StationName=&SearchType=&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=3062&. Retrieved 2009.
- ^ a b "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/profil/PlaceSearchForm1.cfm. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ a b Canadian Textiles Institute. (2005). "CTI Determine your provincial constituency". http://www.textiles.ca/eng/nonAuthProg/redirect.cfm?path=IssPolContacts§ionID=7601.cfm. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters". http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/post-offices/001001-100.01-e.php. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home. "Municipal Directory System". http://www.mds.gov.sk.ca/apps/Pub/MDS/welcome.aspx. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005). "Elections Canada On-line". http://www.elections.ca/home.asp. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ a b c "Meadow Lake". Sask Biz Community Profiles Enterprise Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. http://www.saskbiz.ca/communityprofiles/communityprofile.asp?CommunityID=297. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ "Driving Directions from North Battlefor, SK, CA to Meadow Lake, SK, CA". MapQuest, Inc.. http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=North+Battleford&1s=SK&2c=Meadow+Lake&2s=SK. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ a b Government of Saskatchewan. "Meadow Lake Becomes Saskatchewan's 14th City". http://gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=e523f362-175c-4276-90a2-1d72c5e5eeb3. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
- ^ a b c d e "History of Meadow Lake". Town of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. 2009. http://www.meadowlake.ca/. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ Hourton, Stuart; Tim Ball, Mary Houston (2003-10-03) (Published online by Google books). Eighteenth-century naturalists of Hudson Bay. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. pp. 92. ISBN 9780773522855. http://books.google.com/?id=2ffpFoic23YC&pg=PA92&lpg=PA92&dq=bolsover+house+saskatchewan&q=bolsover%20house%20saskatchewan.
- ^ Taché, J. de Labroquerie (print version); Adamson, Julia (online version) (1918 republished to the internet 17-Oct-2000). Census of Prairie Provinces Population and Agriculture Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta. Ottawa: Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty. Table 3 Towns page 121 Alameda, Sk to Watson, Sk. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cansk/census/1916census.html.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 02/01/2007. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4709012&Geo2=PR&Code2=47&Data=Count&SearchText=yorkton&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
- ^ Gallant, Kathy (September 4, 2009). "Meadow Lake is Saskatchewan’s newest city". Meadow Lake Progress. http://www.meadowlakeprogress.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1728629. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ city's Community Profile available as a Word document on [http://www.meadowlake.ca the city's website)
- ^ "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 2009-02-24. http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/index.cfm?Lang=E. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 2007-02-01. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Index.cfm?Lang=E. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- ^ "Meadow Lake Teachers Package". Saskatchewan Environment. Government of Saskatchewan. http://www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/MeadowLakeEducationPackage. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
- ^ Fung, Kai-iu (1999). Barry, Bill. ed. Atlas of Saskatchewan Celebrating the Millennium (Millennium ed.). Saskatchewan: University of Saskatchewan. pp. 162. ISBN 0-88880-387-7.
- ^ Environment Canada - Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 15 August 2010
- ^ "Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan". Municipal Directory System. Government of Saskatchewan. December 9, 2008. http://www.mds.gov.sk.ca/apps/Pub/MDS/welcome.aspx. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
- ^ "Schools Northwest School division 203". http://www.nwsd.ca/schools.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ "Upgrading North Battleford and Meadow Lake Schools". News Release. Government of Saskatchewan. May 31, 2005. http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=e7a58cbb-439f-4b41-b1fb-318c8806e88c. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ "Meadow Lake Career Colleges and Trade Schools". http://www.canadian-universities.net/Career-Colleges/Saskatchewan-Meadow_Lake.html. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ Adamson, Julia (15-Mar-2006). "Saskatchewan Gen Web - One Room School Project - City, Town, Village Schoolhouse Listing". http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cansk/school/Regional/m.html. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 20 October 2011 to 0901Z 15 December 2011
- ^ "Querying Geographical Names of Canada". Natural Resources Canada > Earth Sciences Sector > Priorities > Mapping Services Branch > Geographical Names of Canada. Government of Canada. http://geonames2.nrcan.gc.ca/cgi-bin/v9/within_radius_v9?english. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
Book reference
- Meadow Lake Diamond Jubilee Heritage Group (1981). Heritage memories : a history of Meadow Lake and surrounding districts. Meadow Lake, Sask.
- Fieguth, Joyce (1973 then 2003). Flour sacks and binder twine. Belleville, Ont: Epic Press. ISBN 1553066863.
- Miller, Marlene (c2006). Voice of the elders. Meadow Lake Tribal Council,.
- Emke, Harold. A history of education in the Meadow Lake area, 1912-1988. Meadow Lake, Sask.: Meadow Lake School Division No. 66, 1990.
- Christiansen, E.A.; Padbury, G.A. (1975). Meadow Lake Geolog : the land, past and present. Museum's Branch, Dept. of Tourism and Renewable Resources in cooperation with the Saskatchewan Research Council.
External links
- City of Meadow Lake
- Statistics Canada - Community Profile
- Meadow Lake Library
- Meadow Lake Provincial Park
- Map of Meadow Lake at Statcan
- [1] Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan
Meadow Lake Provincial Park
Dorintosh
Meadow Lake 105CFlying Dust First Nation Reserve 105 Meadow Lake Meadow Lake 105A Glaslyn Meadow Lake
(Geographical lake)Subdivisions of Saskatchewan Subdivisions Communities Cities Estevan · Flin Flon (part) · Humboldt · Lloydminster (part) · Martensville · Meadow Lake · Melfort · Melville · Moose Jaw · North Battleford · Prince Albert · Regina · Saskatoon · Swift Current · Weyburn · YorktonTopics Coordinates: 54°07′27″N 108°26′09″W / 54.12417°N 108.43583°W
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