Melfort, Saskatchewan

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Melfort
City
City of Melfort
Nickname(s): The City of Northern Lights
Motto: From Many Builders One Community
Melfort is located in Saskatchewan
Melfort
Melfort
Coordinates: 52°51′23″N 104°36′36″W / 52.85639°N 104.61000°W / 52.85639; -104.61000
Country Canada
Province Saskatchewan
Rural Municipality Star City No. 428, Saskatchewan
Post office established August 1, 1892
Incorporated Village 1903
Incorporated Town July 1, 1907
Incorporated City September 2, 1980
Government
 • Mayor Rick Lang
 • MLA Melfort Kevin Phillips
 • MP Prince Albert Randy Hoback
Elevation[1] 480.10 m (1,575.13 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 5,576
 • Density 351.3/km2 (910/sq mi)
Time zone Central Standard Time (UTC−6)
Highways Hwy 3, CanAm Highway
Hwy 2 CanAm Highway, Sk Hwy 641
Website City of Melfort
[2][3][4]

Melfort (2011 population 5,576) is a small Canadian city in Saskatchewan, approximately 95 kilometres (59 mi) southeast of Prince Albert, 107 miles (172 km) northeast of Saskatoon and 174 miles (280 km) north of Regina.

According to the World Gazetteer, its population as of 2004 was 5,400. Melfort became Saskatchewan's 12th city in 1980; although it had achieved the necessary 5,000 population a number of years earlier, residents were reluctant to give up their status as a town, and for a time, the town of Melfort was actually larger than the city of Melville.

Melfort is called the "City of Northern Lights" due to the frequency with which the aurora borealis appears.

This city is bordered by the Rural Municipality of Star City No. 428 and the Rural Municipality of Flett's Springs No. 429.

It is also the administrative headquarters of the Peter Chapman Cree First Nation band government.

History[edit]

Just 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) northwest of current location of Melfort settlers established themselves on the banks of Stoney Creek before relocation due to the surveying of the Canadian National Railway.[5] Melfort was named to honour Mrs. Reginald Beatty (née Mary Campbell, 1856–1916), wife of one of the early settlers (1884). She was born on the Melfort estate, south of Oban, in Argyllshire, Scotland.[6]

Melfort's first post office was established August 1, 1892, in the provisional district of the North West Territories with Benjamin Bothwell as the first postmaster.[2]

The community became a village in 1903, and incorporated as a town July 1, 1907. It finally became the twelfth city of Saskatchewan on September 2, 1980.[5][7][8]

Three one-room school houses used the name "Melfort". Melfort School District No. 54, later called Tiger Lily No. 54 17, near Pleasantdale. (Pleasantdale post office was previously named Windgap and was located at Township 41, Range 18 west of the 2nd Meridian). Melfort School District No. 318 was established in 1904 at Clemens, Rural Route 1, Melfort. Melfort School District No. 1037 was the last one-room school house to use this name.[9]

Geography[edit]

Melfort is located in the Carrot River valley which is noted for its black loamy soil and productive agricultural lands.[10][11] The drainage region for Melfort is the Lower Saskatchewan - Nelson and the area is characterized by a prairie ecozone.[12] The Tiger Hills Uplands ecozone provides rich soil to grow a diversity of crops.[7][13] Melfort Research Farm is located south of Melfort in the Boreal Shield ecozone and the Churchill drainage basin. The farm's main purpose is to research crops and crop systems for northern prairie black and grey soil zones.[14][15] The Melfort branch of the Canadian Legion has assembled a photographic display of the geographic memorials designated to honour the war dead.[10][16]

Climate[edit]

Melfort experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb).

Demographics[edit]

Historical populations
Year Pop. ±%
1906 351 —    
1910 599 +70.7%
1916 971 +62.1%
1996 5,759 +493.1%
2001 5,559 −3.5%
2006 5,192 −6.6%
2011 5,576 +7.4%
[18][19]

The latest census, taken in 2011, showed a population in the city of Melfort of 5,576. This meant the city had grown by 7.4% since 2006.

Canada census – Melfort, Saskatchewan community profile
  2011 2006 2001

Population:
Land area:
Population density:
Median age:
Total private dwellings:
Median household income:

5,576 (7.4% from 2006)
14.78 km2 (5.71 sq mi)
377.3/km2 (977/sq mi)
43.8 (M: 41.3, F: 45.5)
2,464

5,192 (-6.6% from 2001)
14.78 km2 (5.71 sq mi)
351.3/km2 (910/sq mi)
43.7 (M: 41.7, F: 45.5)
2,377
$38,960

5,559 (-3.5% from 1996)
14.78 km2 (5.71 sq mi)
376.1/km2 (974/sq mi)
40.4 (M: 38.9, F: 41.8)
2,440
$34,014
References: 2011[20] 2006[21] 2001[22]

Economy[edit]

The Agriculture Melfort Research Station is centered here along with many other agriculturally based industries. The Melfort Research Farm near Melfort was established in 1935 by the Federal Minister of Agriculture.[23] It is one of the three field sites of the Saskatoon Research Centre (SRC). SRC is one of nineteen research branches of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.[24]

Melfort is near a large diamond exploration site. The ongoing diamond exploration by a joint venture between Shore Gold Inc. Newmont Mining Corporation of Canada in the Fort à la Corne district is expected to begin mine construction in 2012.

Attractions[edit]

Within a mile of the city of Melfort is the Melfort and District Regional Park which hosts an 18-hole grass greens golf course, and the Spruce Haven picnic area.[25] A show ring, grandstand, museum, and exhibition building are all located within the Melfort Exhibition Grounds.[26] The Melfort & District Museum next door showcases pioneering equipment, tools, farm machinery, archival documents as well as early settler's buildings[27][28] Neighbouring points of interest are Fort Carleton, Duck Lake, and Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm.[29]

Sports and recreation[edit]

Melfort was home to the 2006 Saskatchewan Winter Games, the 1988 Saskatchewan Summer Games, the 1996 Royal Bank Cup Canadian Junior 'A' Hockey Championships, the 1995 Saskatchewan Men's Curling Pool Tankard finals and the 2002 Saskatchewan women's Scott Tournament of Hearts finals.[30] The Kerry Vickar Centre, a multi purpose sports and leisure facility, opened in the autumn of 2009[31] The previous multi-use facility at that location, the North East Leisure Centre, was taken down to make way for the new Kerry Vickar Centre.[32]

Ice Hockey[edit]

Hockey is a key part of Saskatchewan's lifestyle and Melfort is no different. The Melfort Mustangs play in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The Mustangs are well known in Canadian hockey circles in many ways—for instance Marc Habscheid, past coach of Canada's World Junior team, started his coaching career with the Mustangs in 1996.[33] Other notable Mustang alumni include Willie Mitchell of the Los Angeles Kings and Ruslan Fedetenko formerly of the Philadelphia Flyers.[33]

Government[edit]

Municipal affairs are handled by the city's mayor, Rick Lang and council. City council currently consists of Lang and six councillors.[34] The rural municipality of Flett's Springs No. 429 office is located on McDonald Avenue West in Melfort and provides municipal rural affairs to the small unincorporated areas of Claggett, Ethelton, Ethelton Airport, Flett Springs, Lipsett, McMichael, Melfort Airport, Minto Park, Pathlow, and Taylorside.[35]

Melfort is in the federal electoral district of Prince Albert with their Member of Parliament being Randy Hoback.[36]

Provincially, the area is within the constituency of Melfort with its MLA being Kevin Phillips. He was preceded by Rod Gantefoer.[37]

Transportation[edit]

Melfort is located at the junction of two primary route highways, SK Hwy 3 and Sk Hwy 6 where they meet with secondary Sk Hwy 41. 203.1 miles (326.9 km) of Saskatchewan Highway 6 contribute to the CanAm Highway between Corinne and Melfort.[38] 59.7 miles (96.1 km) of Saskatchewan Highway 3 contribute to the CanAm Highway between Melfort and Prince Albert.[38] Melfort is 107.92 miles (173.68 km) north east of the largest provincial city, Saskatoon along Sk Hwy 41 (turning onto SK Hwy 5) and 58.12 miles (93.54 km) south east of Prince Albert via the CanAm Highway.[39][40]

Melfort (Miller Field) Aerodrome (TC LID: CJZ3), is located 2.6 NM (4.8 km; 3.0 mi) west of Melfort.[41]

In 1925, Melfort was listed as a Canadian Pacific Railway station on the Canadian Pacific Railway Melfort Subdivision. Melfort is currently a Canadian National Railways interchange point and railway station on the Tisdale, St. Brieux and Brooksby Subdivisions.[42]

Education[edit]

The government's Canada-Saskatchewan Career and Employment Services office will be combined with Melfort's Comprehensive High School and the Cumberland Regional College. Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate providing education to grades 7 to 12 is a part of Melfort School Division No. 100.[43][44][45]

Historically students in Melfort were educated at the Museum School District Unit 54.[46]

Media[edit]

  • Newspapers

The Melfort Journal, is the local newspaper, as well as providing news feeds to the community.[47]

Notable people[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • Fast, Henry R; Neil, D. A. (1973). "The Melfort-Wakaw region of Saskatchewan". Agriculture Canada ([Regina]). 
  • "Melfort 1903-2003 : 100 years of history as recorded in the Melfort Journal, Tuesday, July 29, 2003". Melfort Journal / Carrot River Journal. 
  • Clancy, R.S. (Ron) (c. 2000). "Melfort Pipe Band, 1935-2000". Carrot River, Sask. : Patches Ventures Ltd.,. 
  • Ryan, Timothy (1955). "Voices of the past: a history of Melfort and district". Melfort: Melfort and District Golden Jubilee Committee. 
  • Russell, Ralph C. "Melfort District History (and the 44 Trail)" (Overview of the Carrot River Valley with notes about the Beatty homestead, Flett's Spring, the Carrot River Fort, the Prince Albert to the Carrot River crossing trail, trails to neighbouring Indian Reserves. ed.). 

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000". Environment Canada. Retrieved 2009. 
  2. ^ a b National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters". Retrieved 2009-05-08. 
  3. ^ Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home. "Municipal Directory System". Retrieved 2009-05-08. 
  4. ^ Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005). "Elections Canada On-line". Retrieved 2009-05-08. 
  5. ^ a b "History of Melfort". City of Melfort. 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-13. 
  6. ^ Barry, Bill (1998) People Places: The Dictionary of Saskatchewan Place Names, p. 236, Regina, Sask: People Places Publishing Ltd., ISBN 1-894022-19-X
  7. ^ a b "Melfort". Sask Biz. Government of Saskatchewan. 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-25. 
  8. ^ Coneghan, Daria (2006). "Melfort". The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. Retrieved 2009-08-13. 
  9. ^ Adamson, Julia (October 23, 2006). "Saskatchewan Gen Web - One Room School Project - Home Page". Retrieved 2009-08-13. 
  10. ^ a b "Geography of Saskatchewan". Faculty of Arts. University of Regina. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  11. ^ "Melfort and District Chamber of Commerce". Retrieved 2009-08-14. [dead link]
  12. ^ "Canadian Environmental Assessment Archives - Geographical Location". Home > Registry Archives > 07-01-26770 > Geographical Location. Government of Canada. 2008-12-31. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  13. ^ "City of Melfort". 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-25. 
  14. ^ "Connections Services Directory". Government of Saskatchewan. November 19, 2008. Retrieved 2009-08-14. [dead link]
  15. ^ "Canadian Environmental Assessment Archives - Geographical Location". Home > Registry Archives > 05-01-12232 > Geographical Location. Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  16. ^ "Saskatchewan Branches Use Geography To Honour War Dead". Legion Magazine. January 1, 1002. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  17. ^ Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 9 July 2009
  18. ^ Taché, J. de Labroquerie (print version); Adamson, Julia (online version) (1918 republished to the internet 17 October 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.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 02/01/2007. Retrieved 2008-09-28.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-07-07. 
  21. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-18. 
  22. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012. Retrieved 2011-07-18. 
  23. ^ "History of the Melfort Research Farm" (PDF). Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 2010. Retrieved 2014-04-05. 
  24. ^ "Saskatoon Research Centre (SRC)". Government of Canada. 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-05. 
  25. ^ "Melfort Parks & Gardens". World Web Technologies Inc. 1994–2009. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  26. ^ "Melfort Fairgrounds: Fairgrounds in Melfort, Saskatchewan". Canada Saskatchewan East Central Region Melfort Sights & Attractions Fairgrounds. World Web Technologies Inc. 1994–2009. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  27. ^ "Melfort & District Museum". City of Melfort. 2011. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  28. ^ "Melfort & District Chamber of Commerce". Family Farmers. 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-14. [dead link]
  29. ^ "Workshop 6: Melfort" (PDF). Clearing the Path. Retrieved 2009-08-14. [dead link]
  30. ^ "Melfort to Host 2006 Saskatchewan Winter Games". Home/About Government/News Releases/February 2004. Government of Saskatchewan. February 16, 2004. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  31. ^ "New Kerry Vickar Centre". City of Melfort. 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-14. [dead link]
  32. ^ "North East Leisure Centre". City of Melfort. 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-14. [dead link]
  33. ^ a b "Melfort Mustangs". 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-13. 
  34. ^ "Town of Melfort". Municipal Directory System. Government of Saskatchewan. 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-18. 
  35. ^ "Economic Regions 2006 4715051 - Flett's Springs No. 429, geographical codes and localities, 2006". Statistics Canada. 2006-07-03. Retrieved 2008-09-18. 
  36. ^ "Voter Information Service -". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2008-09-18. 
  37. ^ "CTI Canadian Textiles Institute". Supported by the Government of Canada through the Canadian Apparel & Textile Industries Program (CATIP). Powered by iCongo. 2005. Retrieved 2008-09-18. 
  38. ^ a b Microsoft Streets and Tips (Map) (2004 ed.). Microsoft Corp. § Route Planner. 
  39. ^ "Driving Directions from Melfort, SK, CA to Saskatoon, SK, CA". MapQuest, Inc. 009. Retrieved 2009-08-15.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
  40. ^ "Driving Directions from Melfort, SK, CA to Prince Albert, SK, CA". MapQuest, Inc. 009. Retrieved 2009-08-15.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
  41. ^ Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 24 July 2014 to 0901Z 18 September 2014
  42. ^ Waghorn's Guide (January 18, 2005). "Canadian Maps: January 1925 Waghorn's Guide. Post Offices in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and western Ontario". Rootsweb. Adamson, Julia. Retrieved 2009-08-13. 
  43. ^ "Melfort shared education facility gets green light". Home/About Government/News Releases/July 2000/. Government of Saskatchewan. July 7, 2000. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  44. ^ "Grand Opening of Melfort Career, Education and Employment Services". Home/About Government/News Releases/November 2001/. Government of Saskatchewan. November 28, 2001. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  45. ^ "Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate – Education in a Culture of Excellence". Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  46. ^ "Country School Memories Melfort and District Museum Melfort, Saskatchewan". Community School Memories. Virtual Museum Canada. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  47. ^ "Melfort Journal". Sun Media. 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  48. ^ "CJVR Country". 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
  49. ^ Grant MacEwan: No Ordinary Man, by Rusty MacDonald. Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1978.
  50. ^ Foran, Max, ed. Grant MacEwan's Journals (Lone Pine Publishing, 1986). ISBN 0-919433-07-3
  51. ^ Shedden, Lee, ed. A Century of Grant MacEwan: Selected Writings (Brindle & Glass Publishing, 2002). ISBN 1-894739-00-0
  52. ^ "Voice: The Killer App". Andrew Seybold's Outlook. 2000-09-30. Retrieved 2008-03-13.  Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)[dead link]
  53. ^ "Actor Arthur Hill Dies At 84". Los Angeles News. October 26, 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-29. 
  54. ^ Mitchell, Kevin (14 November 2008). "Watt returns to ice". The StarPhoenix. Retrieved 21 November 2008. 
  55. ^ "Jeremy Wotherspoon: The man in the arena". CTV. July 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-16. [dead link]
  56. ^ "Gaillard, Martine". Rogers Sportsnet Website. 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-13. [dead link]
  57. ^ Melfort, Saskatchewan's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database date accessed 2009-08-13
  58. ^ "Milwaukee Admirals - Lambert to Lead Admirals Ship". Milwaukee Admirals. 2007–2008. Retrieved 2009-08-13. [dead link]
  59. ^ Melfort, Saskatchewan's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database date accessed 2009-08-13
  60. ^ "Lorne Henning's hockey statistics profile at hockeydb.com". Hockey Database. 2008. Retrieved 2009-08-13. 
  61. ^ "Jaden Schwartz's hockey statistics profile at hockeydb.com". Hockey Database. 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-12. 

External links[edit]

Area statistics[edit]

  • Lat 52°51′23″ N
  • Long 104°36′36″ W
  • Dominion Land Survey Section 7, Township 45, Range 18 west of the 2nd Meridian
  • Time zone UTC−6
 Choiceland
Prince Albert Tisdale
  Melfort  
Watson
Saskatchewan Subdivisions of Saskatchewan
Subdivisions
Communities
Cities
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Coordinates: 52°51′23″N 104°36′36″W / 52.85639°N 104.61000°W / 52.85639; -104.61000

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