Watrous, Saskatchewan 作者： 来源： 发布时间：2021-12-06
I.Population and Area
-Area
Land: 11.17 km2 (4.31 sq mi)
-Population (2016)
-Total:1,865
-Density: 166.2/km2 (430/sq mi)
II.Natural Geography (environment and resources)
-Watrous is a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is 106.9 km east of Saskatoon and has an economy is based on agriculture and tourism because of its proximity to Manitou Beach, home of the Mineral Spa and Danceland dance hall (known as the "Home of the World Famous Dance Floor Built on Horsehair”).
-Watrous is between the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) and the Yellowhead Highway (#16). The town of Watrous, the resort village of Manitou Beach and the hamlet of Renown lie within the R.M. of Morris. It is bordered to the north by Little Manitou Lake. The topographical features vary from flat, arable land in the south and northwest to gently rolling land in the southeast. Most of the area is considered productive agricultural land. The Canadian National Railway mainline passes through the towns of Watrous and Young. No. 2 Highway links the R.M. with the cities of Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert. Highway No. 365 connects No. 2 to Manitou Beach.
-Transportation
-Via Rail's The Canadian serves the former Watrous railway station site as a flag stop three times per week (in each direction).
III.ECONOMY
-Average Hourly Rate in Watrous, Saskatchewan: C$18.00
-Website: https://ca.indeed.com/salaries/cook-Salaries,-Watrous-SK
IV.Industrial Characteristics
-Overview
-Watrous enjoys a central location in this province which makes it a natural transportation hub as well as an attractive destination for urban populations looking to relocate or visit a rural setting. The CN Railway Mainline runs directly through Watrous and the town is linked to major highways #16 and #11 via Highway #2. The town is also part of DHL’s express delivery network.
-Watrous is within a two hour drive of the largest urban centers in Saskatchewan:
- Regina -175km
- Saskatoon -119km
- Prince Albert -190km
- Moose Jaw -154km
-Watrous is a dynamic fully serviced community with big city amenities mixed with small-town quality of life.
- Fully serviced modern hospital and medical clinic
- Sophisticated, coordinated emergency ambulance and fire services
- Watrous features an elementary school, a high school, and post secondary facilities at Carlton Trail Regional College
- RCMP detachment and an almost non-existent crime rate
- Recreational facilities include an outdoor Olympic sized swimming pool, shale ball diamonds, golf course, and curling and hockey rinks
- A Royal Bank branch location and a Credit Union branch location
- Development incentives for commercial and residential development
- High speed wireless and DSL accessibility
- Large hospitality industry including several restaurants and hotels/motels
- Corporate meeting space and conference facilities
- Close proximity to the Resort Village of Manitou Beach, a world-famous tourism destination noted for the healing qualities of its mineral lake.
-Agriculture
Agriculture is vital to the economy of nearly every community in Saskatchewan. Watrous serves a diverse agricultural base.
Watrous is situated in the center of the dark brown soil zone. The major soil associations include soils ranging from Weyburn loam to Elstow clay-loam.
The average long-term yields of spring wheat are approximately 30 bushels per acre. Considering that there are 107 frost free days on average, fall frosts are generally not much of a concern.
Average rainfall from April 1 to September 1 is 249.6 mm (9.8 inches). Crops grown in the area include; wheat (red spring and soft white), barley, flax, canola, mustard, oats, lentils, field peas, soybeans, and corn (for cattle feed).
There are a number of livestock producers in the area. The livestock enterprises vary from those utilizing areas of pasture and marginal land to intensive dairy and hog operations.
Forage production is an option that a number of farmers have investigated.
-Tourism
Watrous and Manitou Beach are major tourism destinations in Saskatchewan. Visitors from all over the world come to Manitou Beach to experience the legendary healing mineral waters found in Little Manitou Lake. It is estimated that Tourism contributes $20 million to the local economy every year.
There are many things to see and do at Watrous & Manitou Beach and which form the basis for Tourism.
The water of Manitou Lake with its high mineral content is what makes the area unique. Other attractions in the area include Manitou Springs Mineral Spa, Danceland, and Manitou Regional Park with its beautiful 230 site campground and golf course. In addition there are also many other things to see and do. For complete information, visit the Tourism website at: watrousmanitou.com.
-Mining
Saskatchewan is home to the world's richest deposits of potash. One-third of the world's supply of potash comes from Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan has enough potash to supply the world for several hundred years. The Potash Industry is flourishing in the Watrous area. There are 3 world class potash mines located within commuting distance of Watrous. These include:
Mosaic Potash Colonsay
Allan PCS
Lanigan PCS
A fourth mine is also under construction in the area near Janzen by BHP Billiton. This is expected to have significant economic impact on the whole region.
Business
Watrous and Manitou Beach are home to approximately 150 businesses (storefront & home-based). Included in this is Saskatchewan’s largest GM dealership which attracts buyers from around the province to view their stock of between 700-800 vehicles at any given time. The small business sector services approximately 11,000 people within a 50km radius of Watrous.
-Website: http://townofwatrous.com/Development.php
V.Attractions
1.Gallery on 3rd
-The Gallery on 3rd is operated by the Watrous and Area Arts Council traveling art shows are displayed as well as the works of local artists. Tucked inside the gallery is a gift shop full of unique and one of a kind pieces of art, perfect for that empty spot in your home or business.
-Gallery on 3rd, a public art gallery located in Watrous, displays the works of local artists. Exhibits change regularly. Workshops and programs available for adults and children. See website for schedule of events and exhibits.
-Summer (Jul and Aug): Tue to Sat 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Winter: Thu to Sat 1 - 4 p.m.
-Address: Box 63
Watrous, SK
S0K 4T0
-Phone: (306) 946-3856
-Phone: (306) 946-1333
-Website: https://saskmuseums.org/museums/detail/gallery-on-3rd
2.All Saints Anglican Church
-Letter from official website:
-Welcome! Thank you for visiting our church through this website. It starts our connection here and now. All Saints’ is endeavoring to provide a comfortable, engaging and uplifting environment for people gathering together to worship God.
-Therefore, don’t worry about dress code, what to do or what to bring. Just bring a curious heart to meet God’s wonders. If you have small children, you’re welcome to keep them with you or leave them to our nursery team. We have Sunday programs for the school-age children too.
-We look forward to seeing your coming. Please give a chance to greet you in person. Also, please stay behind after services to enjoy a coffee/tea and snacks time with us.
-Address: 142 Massey Road, Regina, SK
-TEL: 306-586-4420
-Email: allsaints@sasktel.net
-Website: https://quappelle.anglican.ca/churches/all-saints-regina
3.Little Lake Manitou
-Little Manitou Lake is a small saltwater lake about 120 kilometres south-east of Saskatoon, Canada. The lake was formed by receding glaciers during the most recent ice age. It is fed by underground springs, and has a mineral content high in sodium, magnesium and potassium salts due to it being a terminal lake. The salt content of the water (180 g/L) gives it a salinity about half of that of the Dead Sea (300-400 ppt), allowing bathers to float easily. There is no fishing, because the high salt content of the water supports little other than brine shrimp.
-History
-Since the 19th century, native people have been bringing sick people to the lake they named after the spirit Manitou. The earliest known practice of using this water to heal was when some Assiniboine people afflicted with smallpox were supposedly cured after drinking and submerging themselves in the water.
-Since the turn of the 20th century and the depression of the 1930s, Manitou has been a tourist resort due to its unique mineral waters. Since the late 1980s, the claimed health benefits and the buoyancy of the water have once again made it a popular tourist destination.
-Manitou Beach has spawned an arts community, made evident by the founding of an Artists' Collective called "Spirit of Manitou Studio Trail". The Spirit of Manitou Studio Trail consists of an open studio/gallery weekend tour including artists/artisans from the localities of Allan, Meacham, Watrous and Manitou Beach.
-Address: Manitou Beach, Saskatchewan, Canada
-Website: https://www.watrousmanitou.com/
VI.History
-The Pioneers
-The geography of the country was a virgin prairie, Indian trails, paths made from buffalo, far horizons and all so unfamiliar. Settlers were unaware of the climate - the long, long winters, darkness, temperatures that fell below extremes, the snowfalls and the blizzards.
-Settlers came regardless. They came with talents, courage, determination and a vision for a new world. They brought with them a great variety of educational backgrounds, languages and dialects. They came with religious views, loyalties that differed widely, and they came in search of freedom.
-With farming just beginning and the land untouched, the question was, "What can we grow?" Wheat, oats, barley, flax, alfalfa. Could settlers raise livestock or poultry? It was trial and error. Today the land produces millions of bushels of grain and many head of livestock. The prairies are the granary of the world.
-In 1871 a decision was made by the government of Canada to adopt the square survey system so popular in the United States. The land in the northwest would be divided into townships, six miles square containing 36 sections of 640 acres each. Each section was to be sub-divided into four quarter sections of 160 acres. Townships were numbered northward from a base line on the American border. Sections were numbered from the southeast corner of each township.
-The Public Library
-In May of 1948 two ladies decided to do something about having a library in Watrous. They set out and got a petition of 400 names and presented it at the next council meeting. After much discussion, the go-sign was given. The council provided a room on the north side of the Council Chamber, which was upstairs in the rickety old firehall on Third Avenue.
-During the summer the board members talked library, and people started to become aware. 200 books were donated. Leather bound set of works of Charles Dickens, a set of "The Books of Knowledge", and novels were donated. Donations of money were also received. Volunteers served as librarians. The shelves started to fill up. By September 1st the library was officially opened and the bylaw declared it a Public Library.
-In March of 1962 the library moved to a new location in the Civic Centre. In 1967 the Provincial Government declared the Wheatland Regional Library a body corporate in politic.
-In 1950 the total number of books borrowed was 2,243. In 1981 total number was 28,260!
-The CBK Radio Station
-For years the claim to fame of Watrous was its proximity to Lake Manitou. On July 29, 1939 an additional attraction was added with the opening of the CBK, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's 50,000 watt prairie transmitter. It was the only CBC outlet between Winnipeg and Vancouver. Engineers tell us that in order to get as large a coverage area as CBK, a transmitter located in Ottawa would have to have 20 times the power. The reason? Well, it's the same as for Lake Manitou - minerals! This gives the soil greater conductivity and hence, greater coverage. Radiating from the base of the 465 foot tower, like the spokes of a wheel, 120 wires each five hundred feet long are ploughed underground for a proper ground system. Reception has been reported from as far away as New Zealand and Australia. The low broadcast frequency of 540 Ke. also helped give excellent primary coverage to the prairies - so Watrous was chosen.
-The brick, tile and stucco building was very modern - imagine having air conditioning in 1939. It has four split levels. The main floor houses the transmitter with its forty-foot long red panel and chrome trim. The top level has two studios, a steno office, a main office and half-bath.
-CBK was a very popular tourist attraction. Hundreds of people toured it daily. With the start of World War II in September, however, it was closed to visitors for the duration. The war delayed the prairie expansion which the CBC had planned so that the temporary programming from Watrous continued until 1948. This programming was in English and French. CBK was the only French station west of Winnipeg. In 1948, studios moved to Winnipeg and a few years later to Regina, the present location. Staff was reduced from 14 to about 7.
-In the 1960's an addition was built to house an emergency power plant with a 10,000 gallon fuel tank. This was partly due to the atomic bomb scare. Later a fall out shelter was added for the same reason. This was about 24 feet square with 18 inch concrete thickness all underground. Transmitter and diesel controls were duplicated here.
-In 1974, it was retirement time for the reliable old RCA 50 Kw transmitter. It was in service for 35 years - quite a record considering the guarantee period is only 10 years. It was replaced by a newer type of the same power but only about 1/20 the physical size. This could be controlled from Regina studios.
-On June 4, 1976 the 465 foot tower blew down during a violent windstorm. A 40th anniversary at the transmitter in 1979 drew hundreds of loyal fans and in 1980 an extra 10 Kw emergency transmitter was installed.
-In all the years of operation, CBK has an enviable record for safety - never an accident. This was due to excellent maintenance procedures and safety features built into the equipment.
-There has been talk of moving the transmitter from Watrous but "soil conductivity" still prevails to keep it here radiating the most powerful signal in the West!
VII.Other information
-Businesses sprang up, owners changes, partners changed and they moved in and out of available buildings. It was like a game of checkers. When a new block was erected it was time for offices and stores to be on the move. The buildings, too, often changed lots - and so it continues today. Dr. J. H. White's Drugstore building moved seven times by March, 1911, when it was finally relocated near the roundhouse shops at the east end of town.
-Businesses in 1910 were:
-First Avenue: Sash and Door Factory; Hultgreen and Thurston Lumber Yard; Monarch Lumber Co.; Grest Bros. Lumber Co.; Hotel Manitou; Pioneer Restaurant; Manitou Medicine Co. and Bath House; North American Lumber Co.; and Walkers' Restaurant.
-Main Street: Red Cross Drug Store; J. Cumming Real Estate; B. L. Martin Men's Furnisher; Frank Koehler Hardware, Harness and Tinware; Watrous Drug and Stationery Co.; R. B. Davidson, Solicitor, etc.; C. White, Baker and Confectionery; Dadson Bros. Co. General Merchants; Dr. Agar, Dentist; Watrous Trading Co. General Merchants; Jacob Stover; Real Estate; Whitmore's Cafe and Bakeshop; A. Moir, Photographer; Majestic Theatre; Hotel Tourist; Fotheringham and Veitch Furniture; H. Igel, Butcher; Union Bank of Canada; Hiltz Block of Offices; Canadian Bank of Commerce; E. W. Hixon and Co. Druggists; Pool Room and Bowling Alley; Telfer and Goff, Tailors; W. J. Stevenson, Jeweller; A. Lewis, Barber and Pool Room; A. E. McDougall, Notary Public; T. N. Bjorndahl, General Merchants; F. C. Wright, Real Estate.
-Second Avenue: Reliance Lumber Co.; Victoria Restaurant; Cowie Bros., Flour, Feed and Supplies; Signal Office, Printer and Publisher; W. R. Jamieson, Harness; Watrous Meat Co. Butchers; J. Fear Furniture; J. Fisher, Fruit, Lunch Counter and Candies; C. E. Oliver, Real Estate; Presbyterian Church Building; Maple Leaf Restaurant.
-Website: http://watrousheritage.ca/Watrous.php
-Third Avenue: Leeson's Livery; Telfer Bros., Livery; J. E. Robin's Tinsmith; A. Burke, Blacksmith; Finlay and Edmunds Blacksmith; Bon Ton Livery; Hyde Bros. Chopping Mill; C. Haley, Veterinarian Surgeon.
VIII.Contact information
-Government
Governing body: Watrous Town Council
Mayor: Ed Collins
-Town of Watrous
-Box 730
-Watrous, SK. S0K 4T0
-Email Addresses
Stesha Beischer, Recreation Director watrousrecreation@sasktel.net
Town of Watrous townofwatrous@sasktel.net
Orrin Redden, Town Administrator oredden.watrous@sasktel.net
Dion Tarasoff, Public Works Supt. dtarasoff@sasktel.net
Brendan Manz, Community Development brendan@watrousmanitou.com
-Phone Numbers
Town of Watrous 1.306.946.3369
Town of Watrous (fax) 1.306.946.2974
Watrous-Manitou Beach Tourism 1.866.756.6665
Village of Manitou Beach 1.306.946.2831
Website: http://townofwatrous.com/Contact.php