Meadow Lake
Lac des Prairies
City
City of Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake City Hall
Meadow Lake City Hall
Motto(s): 
Gateway to Pure Air and Water
Meadow Lake is located in Saskatchewan
Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake
Location of Meadow Lake in Saskatchewan
Coordinates: 54°07′27″N 108°26′09″W / 54.12417°N 108.43583°W / 54.12417; -108.43583 (Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan)
CountryCanada
ProvinceSaskatchewan
Rural municipalityMeadow Lake
Incorporated VillageAugust 29, 1931
Incorporated TownFebruary 1, 1936
Incorporated CityNovember 9, 2009
Government
 • MayorMerlin Seymour
 • MLA Constituency of Meadow LakeJeremy Harrison
 • MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill RiverGary Vidal
Area
 • Land12.32 km2 (4.76 sq mi)
Elevation
480.40[1]
498.30 m (1,634.84 ft)
Population
 (2016)[2]
 • Total5,344
 • Density433.6/km2 (1,123/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central Standard Time)
Forward sortation area
S9X
HighwaysHwy 55, Hwy 4
Post office establishedJanuary 1, 1911
WebsiteMeadow Lake
[3][4][5][6][7]

Meadow Lake is a city in the boreal forest of northwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. Its location is about 246 kilometres (153 mi) northeast of Lloydminster and 156 kilometres (97 mi) north of North Battleford.[8] Founded as a trading post in 1799, it became a village in 1931 and a town in 1936. On November 9, 2009, it officially became Saskatchewan's 14th city.[9]

Meadow Lake is the main business centre of northwestern 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. The city is on the western shore of Meadow Lake and borders the Rural Municipality of Meadow Lake No. 588 and the Flying Dust First Nation No. 105 reserves.

History

Peter Fidler Monument in Elk's Park

Peter Fidler built Bolsover House in 1799 near "Lac des Prairies", the first name given to Meadow Lake. In 1873 Métis 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]

Bolsover House

Peter Fidler of the Hudson's Bay Company was told by Indian guides that Meadow Lake was a good place for furs. On August 30, 1799 he reached the mouth of the Meadow Lake River. The stream was so narrow and crooked that he almost despaired of navigating it. When he reached the lake he found it so shallow and swampy that he had to proceed demi-chargé. Finding no good place on the lake he went up a river and selected a place about 1,000 yards inland to build the 12 foot by 12 foot log fort. He named it Bolsover House after his hometown in England. The post returned only 190 made beaver in the first season so in 1801 it was closed and everything moved east to Green Lake House. The exact site of Bolsover House is unknown. There is a monument to Peter Fidler in Meadow Lake at Elk's Park.[12][13]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Meadow Lake had a population of 5,322 living in 1,930 of its 2,125 total private dwellings, a change of -0.4% from its 2016 population of 5,344. With a land area of 12.37 km2 (4.78 sq mi), it had a population density of 430.2/km2 (1,114.3/sq mi) in 2021.[14]

Historical Population
YearPop.±%
19552,216—    
19914,318+94.9%
19964,819+11.6%
20014,582−4.9%
20064,771+4.1%
20115,055+6.0%
20165,344+5.7%
[15][16][17]

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]

Canada census – Meadow Lake community profile
202120162011
Population5,322 (-0.4% from 2016)5,344 (5.7% from 2011)5,045 (+5.7% from 2006)
Land area12.37 km2 (4.78 sq mi)12.32 km2 (4.76 sq mi)7.95 km2 (3.07 sq mi)
Population density430.2/km2 (1,114/sq mi)433.6/km2 (1,123/sq mi)634.2/km2 (1,643/sq mi)
Median age32.8 (M: 31.8, F: 34)32.7 (M: 31.1, F: 34.0)
Private dwellings1,930 (total)  2,113 (total)  2,042 (total) 
Median household income
References: 2021[18] 2016[19] 2011[20] earlier[21][22]

Geography

Meadow Lake is located in the middle of an area pre-historically covered by a large glacial lake also called Meadow Lake 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][23]

Specifically Meadow Lake is situated in the Meadow Lake plain of the Boreal transition ecoregion in the Boreal Plain ecozone.[24]

Climate

Meadow Lake experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc) that falls just short of being classified as a Humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb).[25] The highest temperature ever recorded in Meadow Lake was 38.0 °C (100.4 °F) on 27 June 2002.[26] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −51.7 °C (−61 °F) on 8 January 1930.[27] A record snowfall occurred November 16, 1984, with 19.4 centimetres (7.6 in) and a record 57.8 millimetres (2.28 in) of rain fell May 17, 1984. A record snowfall depth was recorded February 22, 1997, when 58 centimetres (23 in) was measured. January 11, 1986, was very cold with wind gusting to 104 kilometres (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 Airport, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1923–present
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)		 18.6
(65.5)		 32.8
(91.0)		 35.6
(96.1)		 38.0
(100.4)		 37.2
(99.0)		 37.2
(99.0)		 33.3
(91.9)		 27.8
(82.0)		 19.2
(66.6)		 11.2
(52.2)		 38.0
(100.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −10.9
(12.4)		 −7.4
(18.7)		 −0.5
(31.1)		 9.8
(49.6)		 17.4
(63.3)		 21.3
(70.3)		 23.7
(74.7)		 22.9
(73.2)		 16.7
(62.1)		 8.8
(47.8)		 −2.8
(27.0)		 −9.3
(15.3)		 7.5
(45.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) −17.2
(1.0)		 −14.2
(6.4)		 −7
(19)		 3.2
(37.8)		 9.8
(49.6)		 14.3
(57.7)		 16.7
(62.1)		 15.5
(59.9)		 9.8
(49.6)		 2.7
(36.9)		 −7.8
(18.0)		 −15.1
(4.8)		 0.9
(33.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −23.5
(−10.3)		 −20.8
(−5.4)		 −13.5
(7.7)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 2.2
(36.0)		 7.3
(45.1)		 9.7
(49.5)		 8.0
(46.4)		 2.8
(37.0)		 −3.5
(25.7)		 −12.8
(9.0)		 −21
(−6)		 −5.7
(21.7)
Record low °C (°F) −51.7
(−61.1)		 −46.7
(−52.1)		 −43.3
(−45.9)		 −31.8
(−25.2)		 −13
(9)		 −3.9
(25.0)		 1.2
(34.2)		 −3.7
(25.3)		 −12.2
(10.0)		 −22.7
(−8.9)		 −41.5
(−42.7)		 −47
(−53)		 −51.7
(−61.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 15.7
(0.62)		 10.4
(0.41)		 14.3
(0.56)		 25.1
(0.99)		 43.6
(1.72)		 66.5
(2.62)		 75.2
(2.96)		 62.7
(2.47)		 41.3
(1.63)		 22.6
(0.89)		 19.4
(0.76)		 18.0
(0.71)		 415.0
(16.34)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 0.3
(0.01)		 0.2
(0.01)		 1.6
(0.06)		 12.9
(0.51)		 40.6
(1.60)		 66.4
(2.61)		 75.2
(2.96)		 62.5
(2.46)		 40.0
(1.57)		 14.3
(0.56)		 2.1
(0.08)		 0.9
(0.04)		 317.0
(12.48)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 21.2
(8.3)		 14.2
(5.6)		 15.6
(6.1)		 14.6
(5.7)		 3.0
(1.2)		 0.1
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.2
(0.1)		 1.2
(0.5)		 9.4
(3.7)		 21.0
(8.3)		 22.6
(8.9)		 123.0
(48.4)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 92.7 123.4 173.7 219.8 260.1 265.4 288.1 268.9 173.2 136.4 79.2 74.3 2,155.2
Percent possible sunshine 37.4 44.9 47.4 52.3 52.5 51.8 56.1 58.3 45.3 41.6 30.7 32.1 45.9
Source: Environment Canada[26][27][28][29]

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 Merlin Seymour.[30]

Provincially, Meadow Lake is within the Meadow Lake constituency. It is currently represented served by their MLA, Jeremy Harrison of the Saskatchewan Party.[31]

Meadow Lake is represented in the House of Commons of Canada by its MP of the Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River riding, currently Gary Vidal of the Conservative Party of Canada.

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 towards the north with the 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.

Education

Meadow Lake is served by Transition Place Education Centre, Carpenter High, Jonas Samson Junior High, Lakeview elementary, Jubilee Elementary, Gateway Elementary, and North West Regional College,[32] 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.[33] Academy of Learning AOL is a post secondary career and business college in Meadow Lake.[34] 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 schoolhouses, the closest being the Meadow Lake School District #1201 Township 59, range 17, west of the 3rd Meridian.[35]

Local media

Newspapers

The Northern Pride is a weekly newspaper based in Meadow Lake and serves northwestern Saskatchewan. The Meadow Lake Progress was a local newspaper that was published from 1931 to 2013.[36]

Radio

CJNS-FM 102.3 and CFDM-FM 105.7 are the local radio stations. The town is also served by CBKM-FM 98.5, a repeater of CBK-AM 540 in Watrous.

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.[37]

Attractions

Meadow Lake's Tourist Information Centre is located on Highway 4 South in the Meadow Lake Lions Park.[38] The building is shared by the Meadow Lake Museum Society, Northern Saskatchewan Tourism, and the Meadow Lake Chamber of Commerce.[39]

Meadow Lake Provincial Park, located about 40 km to the north, takes its name from the city. Other nearby parks include Meadow Lake Lions Park, Nesset Lake Recreation Site, and Saint Cyr Hills Trails Recreation Site.[40]

Meadow Lake Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course on the south side of the city of Meadow Lake, along Highway 4.[41] Meadow Lake is directly east of the golf course. The golf course was built in 1952 and is a par 72 with a total of 6432 yards.[42] The course also features a 20-tee driving range.[43]

Notable people

Notable persons who were born, grew up, or established their fame in Meadow Lake:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000". Environment Canada. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  2. ↑ "2016 Census Profile". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  3. ↑ "CTI Determine your provincial constituency". Canadian Textiles Institute. 2005. Archived from the original on September 11, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Post Offices and Postmasters". National Archives. Archived from the original on October 6, 2006. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Municipal Directory System". Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on January 15, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Elections Canada On-line". Commissioner of Canada Elections. 2005. Archived from the original on April 21, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  7. 1 2 3 "Meadow Lake". Sask Biz Community Profiles Enterprise Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  8. ↑ "Driving Directions from North Battlefor, SK, CA to Meadow Lake, SK, CA". MapQuest, Inc. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  9. ↑ "Meadow Lake Becomes Saskatchewan's 14th City". Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on September 26, 2010. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "History of Meadow Lake". Town of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. 2009. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  11. ↑ Hourton, Stuart; Tim Ball; Mary Houston (October 3, 2003). Eighteenth-century naturalists of Hudson Bay (Published online by Google books). McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-7735-2285-5.
  12. ↑ Elizabeth Browne Losey,"Let Them be Remembered:The Story of the Fur Trade Forts",1999
  13. ↑ "History". meadowlake. City of Meadow Lake. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  15. ↑ "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  16. ↑ Taché, J. de Labroquerie (print version); Adamson, Julia (online version) (October 17, 2000) [1918]. 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.
  17. ↑ "2001 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. February 1, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
  18. ↑ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  19. ↑ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  20. ↑ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  21. ↑ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  22. ↑ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Meadow Lake Teachers Package". Saskatchewan Environment. Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  24. ↑ Fung, Kai-iu (1999). Barry, Bill; Wilson, Michael (eds.). Atlas of Saskatchewan Celebrating the Millennium (Millennium ed.). Saskatchewan: University of Saskatchewan. p. 162. ISBN 0-88880-387-7.
  25. ↑ "Climate Regions". FTP Home - Natural Resources Canada Archives. Natural Resources Canada. Archived from the original (Image (JPE) FTP) on September 9, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  26. 1 2 "Climate". Canadian Climate Normals 1981−2010. Environment Canada. September 25, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  27. 1 2 "Daily Data Report for January 1930". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  28. ↑ "Meadow Lake 2". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Meadow Lake". Canadian Climate Data. Environment Canada. October 31, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan". Municipal Directory System. Government of Saskatchewan. December 9, 2008. Archived from the original on January 15, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  31. ↑ "Hon. Jeremy Harrison". Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on August 27, 2009. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  32. ↑ "Schools Northwest School division 203". Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  33. ↑ "Upgrading North Battleford and Meadow Lake Schools". News Release. Government of Saskatchewan. May 31, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  34. ↑ "Meadow Lake Career Colleges and Trade Schools". Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  35. ↑ Adamson, Julia (March 15, 2006). "Saskatchewan Gen Web - One Room School Project - City, Town, Village Schoolhouse Listing". Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  36. ↑ "Meadow Lake Progress prints its last issue". CBC News. June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  37. ↑ Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
  38. ↑ "Meadow Lake Lions Park | Tourism Saskatchewan".
  39. ↑ "Meadow Lake District Museum and Tourist Information Centre | Tourism Saskatchewan".
  40. ↑ "Querying Geographical Names of Canada". Natural Resources Canada > Earth Sciences Sector > Priorities > Mapping Services Branch > Geographical Names of Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  41. ↑ "Meadow Lake Golf Club | Tourism Saskatchewan".
  42. ↑ "Meadow Lake Golf Club".
  43. ↑ "Meadow Lake Golf Club, Meadow Lake, SK".

Book reference

  • Meadow Lake Diamond Jubilee Heritage Group (1981). "Heritage memories : a history of Meadow Lake and surrounding districts". Meadow Lake, Sask. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Fieguth, Joyce (2003) [1973]. Flour sacks and binder twine. Belleville, Ont: Epic Press. ISBN 1-55306-686-3.
  • Miller, Marlene (c. 2006). 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.
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