Maple Creek, Saskatchewan
Maple Creek is a town in the Cypress Hills of southwest Saskatchewan, Canada. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Maple Creek No. 111. The population was 2,084 at the 2016 Census.
Maple Creek | |
|---|---|
| Town of Maple Creek | |
 The Jasper Hotel on Jasper Street | |
| Motto(s): "Where Past Is Present" | |
  Maple Creek  Maple Creek | |
| Coordinates: 49.908°N 109.479°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Region | Southwest Saskatchewan |
| Rural municipality | Maple Creek No. 111 |
| Established | 1882 |
| Incorporated (Village) | 1896 |
| Incorporated (Town) | April 30, 1903 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Michelle McKenzie |
| • Town Manager | Diane Moss |
| • Governing body | Maple Creek Town Council |
| • MP | Jeremy Patzer |
| • MLA | Doug Steele |
| Area | |
| • Land | 4.42 km2 (1.71 sq mi) |
| Population (2016)[1] | |
| • Total | 2,084 |
| • Density | 471.3/km2 (1,221/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CST |
| Postal code | S0N 1N0 |
| Area code(s) | 306 |
| Highways | Highway 21 Highway 271 Highway 724 |
| Railways | Canadian Pacific |
| Climate | Dfb |
| Website | maplecreek.ca |
| [2][3] | |
The town is 103 km southeast of Medicine Hat, Alberta, and 40 km north of the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park on Highway 21 and 8 km south of the Trans Canada Highway.
The administrative headquarters of the Nekaneet Cree First Nation band government is 37 km southeast of Maple Creek.[4]
History
After the North-West Mounted Police had been established at Fort Walsh, settlers began to explore the Cypress Hills area, living along the creeks and doing small-scale ranching. The Department of the Interior was operating a First Nations farm on the Maple Creek, a few miles south from the present town site. In 1882-1883 the First Nations (mainly Cree, Saulteaux, and Assiniboine) were moved to Qu'Appelle, and the farm was then operated by Major Shircliff, an ex-Mounted Policeman.
In the winter of 1882, a Canadian Pacific Railway construction crew of 12 decided to winter where the town of Maple Creek now stands. This marked the establishment of Maple Creek.
In June 2010, a flood submerged some of the town. The same flood hit much of southwest Saskatchewan and southern Alberta and even destroyed a portion of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Heritage sites
There are two designated municipal heritage Properties in Maple Creek:
- The W. R. Orr Heritage Building was constructed in 1910 and over its history it has housed the Union Bank of Canada; W.R. Orr Law Office; Royal Bank of Canada; Bank of Montreal; Burnett & Orr Law Office.[5]
- The St. Mary's Anglican Church was constructed in 1909 in the Romanesque style. The church also contains a vestry, narthex, and octagonal belfry with steeple that was added in 1928.[6]
Demographics
| Canada census – Maple Creek, Saskatchewan community profile | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | |
| Population: | 2,084 (-4.2% from 2011) | 2,176 (-1.0% from 2006) | 2,198 (-3.2% from 2001) |
| Land area: | 4.42 km2 (1.71 sq mi) | 4.42 km2 (1.71 sq mi) | 4.42 km2 (1.71 sq mi) |
| Population density: | 471.3/km2 (1,221/sq mi) | 492.1/km2 (1,275/sq mi) | 497.0/km2 (1,287/sq mi) |
| Median age: | 46.5 (M: 46.4, F: 46.6) | 45.4 (M: 43.6, F: 47.0) | |
| Total private dwellings: | 1,070 | 1,028 | 1,091 |
| Median household income: | $44,393 | ||
| References: 2016[7] 2011[8] 2006[9] earlier[10] | |||
| Population by ethnic origin, 2011 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ethnic group[11] | Population | Percent |
| European | 1,780 | 81.8% |
| Other North American | 630 | 29% |
| First Nations | 140 | 6.4% |
| Métis | 50 | 2.3% |
| African | 25 | 1.1% |
| Latin, Central and South American | 20 | 0.9% |
| Asian | 15 | 0.7% |
| Total respondent population | 2175 | 100% |
Climate
Maple Creek experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). With the exception of southwestern Alberta, winters in Maple Creek are typically warmer than those in the adjacent plain region of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, being a convergence point for Chinook winds originating along the Rocky Mountain Front. The mean maximum temperature in January 2006 was 5.3 °C for the Maple Creek townsite, compared to 5.0 °C for Calgary and 4.7 °C for Medicine Hat.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Maple Creek was 41.0 °C (106 °F) on 29 June 1984.[12] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −46.7 °C (−52 °F) on 15 & 16 February 1936.[13]
| Climate data for Maple Creek, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1921–present[lower-alpha 1] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.9 (66.0) |
19.5 (67.1) |
24.0 (75.2) |
33.3 (91.9) |
37.8 (100.0) |
41.0 (105.8) |
40.6 (105.1) |
40.6 (105.1) |
37.8 (100.0) |
33.3 (91.9) |
24.0 (75.2) |
21.7 (71.1) |
41.0 (105.8) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −2.8 (27.0) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
5.6 (42.1) |
13.4 (56.1) |
18.9 (66.0) |
23.1 (73.6) |
27.7 (81.9) |
27.1 (80.8) |
20.2 (68.4) |
13.1 (55.6) |
3.4 (38.1) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
12.3 (54.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −8.5 (16.7) |
−5.8 (21.6) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
6.5 (43.7) |
11.7 (53.1) |
16.1 (61.0) |
19.9 (67.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
13.0 (55.4) |
6.6 (43.9) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
5.8 (42.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −14.0 (6.8) |
−11.4 (11.5) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
4.5 (40.1) |
9.0 (48.2) |
12.0 (53.6) |
11.2 (52.2) |
5.7 (42.3) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−12.5 (9.5) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −45.6 (−50.1) |
−46.7 (−52.1) |
−36.1 (−33.0) |
−23.3 (−9.9) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−25.0 (−13.0) |
−34.0 (−29.2) |
−42.8 (−45.0) |
−46.7 (−52.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 18.1 (0.71) |
13.1 (0.52) |
22.2 (0.87) |
25.0 (0.98) |
47.1 (1.85) |
76.5 (3.01) |
45.9 (1.81) |
43.4 (1.71) |
36.3 (1.43) |
23.9 (0.94) |
19.0 (0.75) |
17.6 (0.69) |
388.1 (15.28) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 1.4 (0.06) |
0.7 (0.03) |
5.7 (0.22) |
18.4 (0.72) |
41.8 (1.65) |
76.5 (3.01) |
45.9 (1.81) |
43.0 (1.69) |
34.9 (1.37) |
16.0 (0.63) |
2.6 (0.10) |
0.9 (0.04) |
287.6 (11.32) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 16.7 (6.6) |
12.3 (4.8) |
16.6 (6.5) |
6.6 (2.6) |
5.4 (2.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (0.2) |
1.5 (0.6) |
7.9 (3.1) |
16.4 (6.5) |
16.7 (6.6) |
100.5 (39.6) |
| Source: Environment Canada[12][14][15] | |||||||||||||
Attractions
- Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, an interprovincial park straddling the southern Alberta-Saskatchewan border, north-west of Robsart.
- Cypress Hills Vineyard & Winery[16]
- Fort Walsh, a reconstructed North-West Mounted Police fort and part of the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. As a National Historic Site of Canada the area possesses national historical significance. It was established as a NWMP fort after and near the Cypress Hills Massacre.
- Grasslands National Park, represents the Prairie Grasslands natural region, protecting one of the nation's few remaining areas of undisturbed dry mixed-grass/shortgrass prairie grassland. The park is in the WWF-defined Northern short grasslands ecoregion, which spans across much of Southern Saskatchewan, Southern Alberta, and the northern Great Plains states in the USA. The unique landscape and harsh, semi-arid climate provide niches for several specially adapted plants and animals. The park and surrounding area house the country's only black-tailed prairie dog colonies. Other rare and endangered fauna in the park include the pronghorn, sage grouse, burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk, prairie rattlesnake, black-footed ferret and eastern short-horned lizard. Flora includes blue grama grass, needlegrass, Plains Cottonwood and silver sagebrush.
- Robsart Art Works, opens July 1 to August 28, 2010, from 1 to 4 p.m. and by appointment and features Saskatchewan artists featuring photographers of old buildings and towns throughout Saskatchewan.[17]
- T.rex Discovery Centre, a facility to house the fossil record of the Eastend area started many years before the discovery of "Scotty" the T.Rex in 1994.[18]
Education
The Sidney Street School [19] and the Maple Creek Composite School [20] serve the local community.
Great Plains College operates a satellite campus in Maple Creek.
Notable people
- Barry Dean - Former NHL player
- Zack Smith - Current NHL player for the Chicago Blackhawks
References
- "2016 Census Profile". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters". Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home. "Municipal Directory System". Archived from the original on 2016-01-15. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- "Nekaneet - FHQ Tribal Council". fhqtc.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- http://heritageapp.cyr.gov.sk.ca/assets/pdf/2848.pdf Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Property W. R. Orr Heritage Building
- http://heritageapp.cyr.gov.sk.ca/assets/pdf/124.pdf Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Property St. Mary's Anglican Church
- "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 21, 2017. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
- "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
- "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
- "NHS Profile, Maple Creek, T, Saskatchewan, 2011 (The sum of the ancestries in this table is greater than the total population estimate because a person may report more than one ancestry (ethnic origin) in the National Household Survey.)". 2011. Retrieved 2014-11-10.
- "Maple Creek North". Canadian Climate Normals. Environment Canada. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- "Daily Data Report for February 1936". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- "Maple Creek". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- "Maple Creek RCS". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
- "Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery – Taste the Prairie Sunshine!". www.cypresshillswinery.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- Robsart Art Works Archived 2013-06-20 at the Wayback Machine
- "T.rex Discovery Centre History -". T.rex Discovery Centre History. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-11-18. Retrieved 2010-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2010-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Notes
- Extreme high and low temperatures in the table below were reocrded at Maple Creek from July 1921 to June 1967, at Maple Creek North from July 1967 to November 2007 and at Maple Creek from December 2007 to present.
Places adjacent to Maple Creek, Saskatchewan | |
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