Broadview, Saskatchewan

History

The North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) set up a divisional post in Broadview in 1885. Sergeant Bill, a goat from Broadview served as the mascot for the 5th Battalion, CEF, during World War I. The goat received a decoration, and after its passing resides now in the Broadview Museum. The Broadview railway station was designated a historic railway station in 1992.

Geography

Broadview is located in the Indian Head Plain of the Aspen Parkland ecoregion. The physiographic region is the Qu'Appelle plains in the Saskatchewan Plains physiographic region. Broadview is within the topographical area of Weed Hills. The bedrock geology belongs to that of the Mannville Group, a stratigraphical unit of Cretaceous age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin formed during the lower Cretaceous period. The area is characterised by lush rolling grasslands, interspersed with poplar bluffs (in prairie Canadian terminology poplar groves surrounding sloughs) and open sloughs. The Cowessess, Kahkewistahaw, Ochapowace Indian reserves are within 20 kilometres (12 mi) of Broadview. Highway 201 provides access to Bird's Point Resort (Saskatchewan) located at Round Lake (Saskatchewan) in the Qu'Appelle Valley.

Climate

Broadview has a humid continental climate, with extreme seasonal temperatures. It has hot summers and cold winters, with the average daily temperatures ranging from −14.2 °C (6.4 °F) in January to 18.1 °C (64.6 °F) in July. Annually, temperatures exceed 30 °C (86 °F) on an average in late July Typically, summer lasts from late June until late August, and the humidity is seldom uncomfortably high. Winter lasts from November to March, and varies greatly in length and severity. Spring and autumn are both short and highly variable.

On February 1, 1996, a record windchill of −60.7 °C (−77.3 °F) was recorded around 11:00 in the morning. Creating the windchill were northwesterly winds blowing at 44 kilometres per hour (27 mph) combined with a temperature of −39.3 °C (−38.7 °F).

The highest temperature ever recorded in Broadview was 41.1 °C (106 °F) on 21 June 1910 and 5 July 1937. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −46.7 °C (−52 °F) on 20 January 1943.

Government

The town of Broadview has a mayor as the highest ranking government official. The town also elects aldermen or councillors to form the municipal council. Currently the mayor is Sidney Criddle, and is serving with councillors Lori Stephan, Esther Bonk, Brent Bagshaw, Terry Fitzgerald, Tracy Strachan. The town administrator is Mervin Schmidt.

Provincially, Broadview is within the constituency of Moosomin served by their Member of legislative assembly, the honourable Don Toth.

Federally the Souris--Moose Mountain riding is represented by their Member of Parliament, Ed Komarnicki.

Economy

The Mainline Regional Economic Development Authority provides assistance and business advice for Broadview and the rural municipality of Elcapo NO. 154. Highway 201 provides access to the Qu'Appelle Valley, 19 km (12 mi) north, which contains Crooked Lake Provincial Park at Crooked Lake and Bird's Point Resort at Round Lake.

Transportation

Broadview is located on the #1 highway, the Trans Canada Highway, 155 kilometres (96 mi) east of the provincial capital city of Regina at the junction with Highway 201 north and Highway 605 south.

Broadview was the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1882, and later went on to become a major divisional point for the CPR. Broadview was located on the CPR West line between Regina (Indian Head subdivision) and Winnipeg, Manitoba (Broadview subdivision). The line ran through Wolseley, Summerberry, Grenfell, Oakshela, Broadview, it continued east through Percival, Whitewood and Burrows. At Broadview in 1925, the time zone changed from Central Standard Time to Mountain Standard Time. The Canadian Pacific Railway station building was declared a historic railway station in 1992

The original grade which the 1882 rail was built upon was abandoned in favour of a better grade, and an historical marker commemorates the old rail track.

Education

Currently Broadview school serves an enrolled population of about 150 students between Kindergarten to Grade 12 is a part of Prairie Valley School Division No. 208. Broadview school division office is located in Broadview.

Broadview School #5 was established 1885, followed by Meadow Lea #55, Forest Farm #90, Spring Lake #153, Spring Lake #153, Clifton #278, Highland #437, River Ayr 534, Northwood #2988, Elcapo #3013, Kingsley #3916, Weed Creek #4352, Logwood #4924. Historically Cowesses Day School was situated near Broadview. The Highland One Room Schoohouse is preserved in the Broadview museum.

Museums and other points of interest

The Broadview Recreation Site is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from town. Broadview museum opened July 15, 1972.

Celebration Park comes equipped with baseball diamonds, tennis courts, rodeo ground, horseshoe pits, and a children's playground. Broadview also features a natural ice-skating and hockey rink, Broadview Curling Club and the 9 hole Broadview Golf Club.

Prominent people

Dr. Frederick J. Gathercole B.Ed., M.Ed., Ph.D. started out teaching in several one-room school houses in Saskatchewan before becoming the Director of Education. Gathercole received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, and the Saskatoon Board of Education offices were housed in the Dr. F.J. Gathercole Education Centre located in the central business diestrict on June 16, 1972 until the offices moved to the former Eaton's Building. In 1988 the University of Saskatchewan conferred upon him an honorary doctorate of laws for his contributions in community service and education.

John Hall Archer was born 1914 near Broadview, becoming the first president of the University of Regina and provincial archivist. The Order of Canada and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit have been conferred upon him, and the U of R library is named in his honour.