Melfort (2016 population 5,992) is a city in Saskatchewan, Canada, located approximately 95 kilometres (59 mi) southeast of Prince Albert, 172 kilometres (107 mi) northeast of Saskatoon and 280 kilometres (170 mi) north of Regina.
Melfort became Saskatchewan's 12th city in 1980. Melfort was formerly called the "City of Northern Lights" due to the frequency with which the aurora borealis appears. However, in 2016, Melfort became "Play Melfort" due to its vast recreation programs and facilities.
A few kilometres southeast of current location of Melfort settlers established themselves on the banks of Stoney Creek before relocation due to the surveying of the Canadian Northern 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]
The community became a village on November 4, 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
Melfort is on the banks of Melfort Creek in the Carrot River Valley. The valley 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]
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Melfort had a population of 5,955 living in 2,575 of its 2,788 total private dwellings, a change of -0.6% from its 2016 population of 5,992. With a land area of 14.73 km2 (5.69 sq mi), it had a population density of 404.3/km2 (1,047.1/sq mi) in 2021.[17]
Melfort experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classificationDfb). The highest temperature ever recorded in Melfort was 41.1 °C (106 °F) on 19 July 1941.[23] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −47.2 °C (−53 °F) on 28 January 1966.[24]
Climate data for Melfort CDA, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1901–present[a]
The Agriculture Melfort Research Station is centred in Melfort along with many other agriculturally based industries.
The Melfort Research Farm near Melfort was established in 1935 by the Federal Minister of
Agriculture.[26]
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.[27]
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 was expected to begin mine construction in 2012.
Attractions
Within the city of Melfort is the Melfort Golf & Country Club, which hosts an 18-hole grass greens golf course, and the Spruce Haven picnic area.[28] A show ring, grandstand, museum, and exhibition building are all located within the Melfort Exhibition Grounds.[29] The Melfort & District Museum next door showcases pioneering equipment, tools, farm machinery, archival documents as well as early settler's buildings[30][31] Neighbouring points of interest are Fort Carleton, Duck Lake, and Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm.[32]
Sports and recreation
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.[33] The Kerry Vickar Centre, a multi purpose sports and leisure facility, opened in the autumn of 2009[34] 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.[35] Melfort offers countless recreational opportunities for families and friends including swimming, camping, skiing, fishing, and golfing,[36] among other things.
Ice hockey
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.[37]
Other notable Mustang alumni include Willie Mitchell of the Los Angeles Kings and Ruslan Fedetenko formerly of the Philadelphia Flyers.[37]
Government
Municipal affairs are handled by the city's mayor, Glenn George and council. City council currently consists of George and six councillors.[38] 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.[39]
Provincially, the area is within the constituency of Melfort with its MLA being Todd Goudy. He was preceded by Rod Gantefoer.[41]
Transportation
Melfort is located at the junction of two primary route highways, Highway 3 and Highway 6 where they meet with secondary Highway 41. Approximately 327 km (203 mi) of Highway 6 contributes to the CanAm Highway between Corinne and Melfort.[42] Approximately 96 km (60 mi) of Highway 3 contribute to the CanAm Highway between Melfort and Prince Albert.[42] Melfort is approximately 174 km (108 mi) northeast of the largest provincial city, Saskatoon along Highway 41 (turning onto Highway 5) and approximately 94 km (58 mi) southeast of Prince Albert via the CanAm Highway.[43][44]
In 1925, Melfort was listed as a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) station on the CPR Melfort Subdivision. Melfort is currently a CNR interchange point and railway station on the Tisdale, St. Brieux and Brooksby Subdivisions.[46]
Education
The government's Canada-Saskatchewan Career and Employment Services office was to be combined with Melfort's Comprehensive High School and the Cumberland Regional College. The Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate provides education to grades 7 to 12 and is a part of the North East School Division No. 200.[47][48][49]
Historically students in Melfort were educated at the Melfort School District Unit 54.[50]
Media
The Melfort Journal, owned by Postmedia Network, is the city's weekly newspaper.
Ryan, Timothy (1955). "Voices of the past: a history of Melfort and district". Melfort: Melfort and District Golden Jubilee Committee. ASINB0037UAECO. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Russell, Ralph C. "Melfort District History (and the 44 Trail)". scaa.sk.ca (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.).
^Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005). "Elections Canada On-line". Archived from the original on 21 April 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
^Barry, Bill (1998) People Places: The Dictionary of Saskatchewan Place Names, p. 236, Regina, Sask: People Places Publishing Ltd., ISBN1-894022-19-X
^ ab"Melfort". Sask Biz. Government of Saskatchewan. 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
^Coneghan, Daria (2006). "Melfort". The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. Archived from the original on 25 March 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
^"City of Melfort". Municipal Directory System. Government of Saskatchewan. 2021. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
^"CTI Canadian Textiles Institute". Supported by the Government of Canada through the Canadian Apparel & Textile Industries Program (CATIP). Powered by iCongo. 2005. Archived from the original on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
^ abMicrosoft Streets and Tips (Map) (2004 ed.). Microsoft Corp. § Route Planner.
^Mitchell, Kevin (14 November 2008). "Watt returns to ice". The StarPhoenix. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2008.
^Climate data was recorded in the town of Melfort from October 1901 to December 1960 and at the Melfort Canadian Department of Agriculture from January 1961 to present.
